LAGOS, Nigeria — Ride hailing company Bolt has been cleared to resume operations at airports managed by Nigeria’s Federal Airports Authority after an agreement ended a dispute that left many travelers facing fewer transport choices and sharply higher taxi prices.
FAAN said Thursday that Bolt could restart airport services immediately following talks aimed at resolving concerns over how ride hailing drivers pick up passengers, identify themselves and operate within highly regulated airport environments. The agreement covers FAAN managed airports, including Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
“The Authority is therefore pleased to announce that, following constructive engagements, FAAN and Bolt have reached an agreeable operational framework and Bolt is cleared to commence its services at FAAN managed airports immediately,” the authority said in a statement issued by Henry Agbebire, its director of public affairs and consumer protection.
The dispute drew national attention after travelers complained that restrictions affecting app based rides left them dependent on more expensive airport car hire services. Public anger intensified after a video circulated online showing an American travel creator being quoted 30,000 naira for a trip from Lagos airport to Ikeja, a journey he said normally cost between 6,000 and 8,000 naira using an app based service. He later walked outside the airport area and booked a ride for 6,100 naira.
FAAN denied setting the controversial 30,000 naira fare or introducing a new pricing system. The authority said airport car hire operators had established their rates independently and that its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, known as ACHRAMS, simply made the existing fares more visible to passengers.
“ACHRAMS is not an e hailing application and was never conceived as a competitor to Uber, Bolt or any other mobility platform,” FAAN said. It described the system as a way to manage authorized airport car hire operations rather than a service designed to determine what passengers should pay.
The disagreement reflects a wider challenge facing airports around the world as traditional taxi operators and app based transport companies compete for passengers. In Nigeria, FAAN said it has spent nearly a decade trying to address problems involving touting, random passenger pickups, unregulated drivers and difficulties identifying those providing commercial transport within airport grounds.
FAAN said its objective was not to block ride hailing services but to ensure that drivers and vehicles operating at airports could be properly identified and held accountable if a security or passenger related incident occurred. The authority said some drivers operated across several platforms, making stronger oversight necessary.
The authority acknowledged that the disruption had caused problems for passengers. “We sincerely apologise for the difficulties this caused our passengers,” FAAN said, adding that it had “listened, reflected and made the necessary adjustments.”
Bolt’s return does not completely resolve the wider airport transport dispute. FAAN said discussions with other ride hailing companies were continuing and that it expected outstanding negotiations to be completed in the coming days. The authority maintained that passengers should be free to choose whichever approved transportation service best suits their needs.
For travelers, the agreement restores one of the most widely used alternatives to conventional airport taxis. It also puts renewed pressure on FAAN and transport operators to find a lasting system that combines security and accountability with competition, transparent pricing and affordable rides at some of Nigeria’s busiest gateways.
