The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has rejected claims that its recent crackdown on e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports forced Uber to quit the country.
FAAN said Uber’s withdrawal was a corporate business decision, not the fallout of its disagreement with the airport authority.
The clarification came as speculation mounted following Uber’s decision to end its ride-hailing operations in Nigeria and Uganda on September 2, 2026, after 12 years in the Nigerian market. Uber said the move followed a review of its changing business priorities and investment focus across Africa.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, said the narrative linking the company’s exit directly to the airport dispute was misleading.
According to him, Uber itself had made it clear that its withdrawal was unrelated to FAAN’s recent directive on e-hailing services at airports.
He stressed that the company was leaving Nigeria and Uganda while maintaining operations in other African markets, indicating that the decision was part of a wider review of its continental investment strategy.
‘FAAN DIDN’T DRIVE UBER OUT’
Agbebire maintained that FAAN had no interest in driving e-hailing companies out of Nigeria, insisting that its responsibility was to ensure safety, security and accountability within airport premises.
The controversy followed FAAN’s July directive suspending commercial operations by Uber and Bolt at airports under its management pending the finalisation of licence agreements. The authority subsequently explained that the restrictions were linked to safety, security and operational concerns rather than a blanket ban on e-hailing services.
FAAN later cleared Bolt to resume airport operations after outstanding operational issues were addressed, a development the authority said demonstrated that its objective was regulation rather than elimination of ride-hailing services.
Agbebire said airports were fundamentally different from ordinary roads because they are controlled security environments handling millions of passengers and vehicles.
He explained that commercial transport operators using airport facilities must therefore be identifiable and accountable, with the authority able to know the drivers and vehicles operating within its premises and respond quickly when security or passenger-related incidents occur.
UBER’S PROBLEMS DIDN’T START AT AIRPORT
The FAAN official also argued that the challenges confronting Uber and the wider Nigerian ride-hailing industry existed long before the airport dispute.
For years, ride-hailing companies and drivers have faced regulatory questions involving driver identification, passenger safety, data sharing, platform accountability and operating standards.
Drivers have also complained about commissions, fuel prices, fares, vehicle maintenance, insecurity and account deactivations, with such grievances at various times sparking protests and threats of coordinated shutdowns.
Agbebire further pointed to the long-running regulatory experience between Lagos State and e-hailing operators, saying issues around government access to trip information and platform accountability predated the current FAAN controversy.
He also raised concerns over drivers taking passengers offline, saying such arrangements could deprive passengers of the security and traceability offered by the official platform while making it harder for regulators and companies to monitor journeys.
‘WHO TAKES RESPONSIBILITY?’
The FAAN spokesman said the wider debate should ultimately focus on accountability in technology-driven transportation.
He questioned where responsibility should lie when a company provides the technology, establishes the platform’s rules, facilitates payments, monitors trips and places its brand between the passenger and driver.
He argued that such questions should not be reduced to the dispute between Uber and FAAN, but should apply to every technology-driven transport company operating in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Uber’s exit has triggered concerns among drivers and riders who depended on the platform for income and transportation.
The company has said it will continue supporting affected users during the transition, while its help centre is expected to remain available for outstanding account-related issues until September 23.
The withdrawal has also opened fresh opportunities for rival operators. Bolt, for instance, has reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria and said it intends to remain and strengthen its operations in the country.
‘NIGERIA STILL HAS THE MARKET’
Agbebire said Uber’s departure should not be interpreted as the collapse of Nigeria’s ride-hailing market.
According to him, the passengers are still there, drivers are still available and demand for convenient urban transportation remains strong.
He suggested that Uber’s exit could create room for companies prepared to make long-term investments, work with regulators and provide better conditions for drivers while maintaining strong passenger-protection standards.
The FAAN official insisted that the authority does not compete with Uber or any other ride-hailing company.
Its job, he said, is simply to ensure that businesses operating within Nigerian airports do so under rules that protect passengers and preserve the safety and integrity of the airport environment.
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