The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that it directed airport taxi operators to replace their vehicles with 2020 model cars before they could continue operating at the nation’s airports.
The clarification follows a viral video in which some airport cab drivers appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to intervene, claiming the authority had introduced a policy compelling them to purchase vehicles worth between ₦18 million and ₦30 million despite the prevailing economic hardship.
In the video, one of the drivers alleged that FAAN was insisting that only 2020 model vehicles would be permitted under a new app-based airport taxi management system, describing the requirement as unrealistic for operators already struggling to sustain their businesses.
The claims sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians sympathising with the drivers, while others argued that airport transport services should maintain standards befitting international airports.
Reacting to the controversy, FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Ms Adebola Agunbiade, described the allegations as false and misleading, insisting they did not reflect the authority’s policy.
She explained that the incident captured in the viral video was linked to resistance by some airport car hire operators who declined to register on the newly introduced Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS), rather than any directive on vehicle model requirements.
“Regarding the video circulating online, the claim that the main cause of the drivers’ actions is not accurate. The footage shows planned resistance by car hire operators who refused to register on the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System.
Those drivers were working to prevent the soft and pilot launches of the system at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. This incident is not related to any policy regarding vehicle model year,” she said.
Agunbiade stressed that FAAN had never directed operators to acquire 2020 model vehicles before joining the digital platform.
“It is incorrect to say that FAAN asked drivers to change their vehicles to a minimum of the 2020 model because of the introduction of ACHRAMS. In fact, one of the conditions laid down by the Authority for registration on the app is that drivers must operate vehicles manufactured in 2012 or above,” she stated.
She disclosed that the vehicle standard had been communicated to operators as far back as 2024, with the initial compliance deadline set for January 1, 2026, before it was extended to June and later shifted to October 1, 2026, to provide operators with additional time to comply.
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The FAAN official also dismissed reports suggesting that the authority intended to replace about 60 per cent of existing airport taxi operators with new entrants under the digital system.
“It is important to note that FAAN is not planning to clear only 60 per cent of existing drivers to pave the way for ACHRAMS. The intention is to clear all drivers, provided they comply with the laid-down standards,” she said.
According to Agunbiade, almost all existing airport car hire operators at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport have already been approved to operate under the new platform, except for two companies whose union allegedly instructed them not to participate in the initiative and instead develop independent applications.
She said the drivers featured in the viral video were believed to belong to those companies, while many operators outside the National Union of Private Cab Operators had embraced the new system and were already participating in its pilot phase.
Addressing concerns raised by e-hailing operators, Agunbiade said FAAN was finalising agreements with Bolt and Uber to integrate their services into the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System.
She explained that once the agreements are concluded, both companies would continue to provide airport pick-up services under the new regulatory framework.
Pending the completion of those agreements, however, she clarified that e-hailing companies do not currently have legal approval to pick up passengers from airport terminals, noting that any temporary restriction is purely an operational and regulatory matter rather than an outright ban.