The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has dismissed claims that its airport regulations contributed to Uber’s decision to leave the Nigerian market.

FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, said Uber’s exit was a business decision that had been under consideration for some time and was not caused by the authority’s policies.

Kuku spoke with journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Friday, days after FAAN suspended commercial pick-ups by e-hailing drivers at its airports pending the completion of licensing agreements.

The suspension had triggered concerns that FAAN was attempting to give an advantage to its newly introduced airport transport platform, ACHRAMS.

However, Kuku said the authority introduced tighter controls after receiving complaints from passengers about the conduct of some e-hailing and car-hire operators.

She said passengers had reported cases of intimidation, being taken to wrong destinations and other unpleasant experiences, particularly during the festive season.

The FAAN boss also alleged that some e-hailing drivers were exploiting airport operations by posing as legitimate ride-hailing operators and subsequently working with car-hire providers who charged passengers higher fares.

She said the complaints prompted FAAN to strengthen oversight of transport operators within airport premises.

According to Kuku, ACHRAMS was developed to make airport transportation more transparent by allowing passengers to know the identity of the car-hire company and driver taking them to their destination.

She stressed that FAAN does not operate the vehicles, employ the drivers or collect fares from passengers.

Kuku also identified liability as a major issue in FAAN’s discussions with e-hailing companies. She said the authority wanted the companies to accept responsibility for the conduct and safety of drivers using their platforms.

The companies, she explained, argued that the drivers were independent contractors and not their employees.

Kuku said this position created difficulties because the platforms encouraged passengers to rely on their in-app safety features while avoiding direct responsibility for the drivers.

On the cost of airport transportation, she said higher fares charged by car-hire operators were linked to their business models, adding that passengers remained free to choose between pre-booked vehicles, e-hailing services and other transport options.

She maintained that FAAN’s priority was passenger safety and accountability rather than controlling how passengers travelled.

Kuku further insisted that Uber’s decision to leave Nigeria was unrelated to FAAN, noting that the company had been considering its departure before the latest airport restrictions.

She said the airport was only a small part of Uber’s wider operations in Nigeria and therefore could not be blamed for the company’s overall decision to exit the country.