FAAN’s Digital Airport Taxi Reform Sparks Fresh Dispute with Cab Operators

A new digital platform introduced by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to regulate airport taxi operations has ignited fresh tensions with airport cab operators, who say they were not adequately consulted before the rollout of the initiative.

The controversy gained national attention after a viral video showed airport taxi drivers appealing to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to intervene over what they believed was a directive requiring them to replace their vehicles with 2020 model cars, a move they argued would be financially impossible under the country’s current economic conditions.

However, FAAN has dismissed the claim, insisting that the dispute is primarily linked to the implementation of its new Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) rather than any sudden vehicle replacement order.

According to FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, the airport authority only requires operators using the new platform to have vehicles manufactured from 2012 onwards, contrary to widespread claims that 2020 models are mandatory. She said the minimum vehicle standard was introduced in 2024 and compliance deadlines have been extended several times, with a final extension now being considered until October 1, 2026, to accommodate operators facing financial challenges.

FAAN explained that ACHRAMS is designed to modernise airport ground transportation by digitising taxi bookings, improving passenger security, regulating fare administration, tracking vehicles, and eliminating touting around airport terminals.

The authority also disclosed that discussions are ongoing to integrate major ride-hailing platforms, including Uber and Bolt, into the new airport transport system once regulatory arrangements are concluded.

Airport taxi operators, however, argue that their opposition is not to technology itself but to what they describe as inadequate engagement with those whose livelihoods will be directly affected.

National President of the National Association of Airport Cab Drivers, Adepegba Samuel, said operators want broader consultations and proper sensitisation before full implementation of the digital platform. He maintained that drivers should be given the opportunity to contribute practical insights on how the system will function on the ground.

The disagreement comes amid wider concerns over FAAN’s ongoing reforms, including an increase in airport taxi operational charges from ₦500 to ₦1,500, which the authority says reflects rising operational costs after the previous tariff remained unchanged for more than eight years.

FAAN has defended both the tariff review and the digital transformation programme, arguing that airports are the country’s gateway and that passengers deserve safe, roadworthy, professionally managed transport services that meet international standards. The agency insists the reforms are intended to enhance service quality, strengthen security and improve the overall travel experience rather than displace existing operators.