The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has denied claims that it was responsible for Uber’s decision to discontinue its ride-hailing operations in Nigeria.

FAAN Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, said Uber’s exit was based on the company’s own economic and regulatory considerations.

“I can’t speak to Uber’s exit from Nigeria. I am sure they have their own economic and regulatory decisions as to why they chose to exit,” Kuku said.

She said FAAN’s primary responsibility was to ensure passenger safety and a seamless travel experience at Nigerian airports.

Kuku disclosed that the authority had received numerous complaints from passengers, particularly during the December holiday period, about the conduct of some e-hailing and car-hire operators.

According to her, the complaints included intimidation, excessive charges and passengers being taken to destinations other than those they intended to visit.

She said FAAN also had disagreements with some e-hailing companies over liability and the management of dedicated pickup zones at airports.

Kuku explained that while FAAN agreed to provide dedicated pickup areas for e-hailing services, it insisted that the companies should take responsibility for the conduct of drivers operating on their platforms.

“One of the things we struggled with was liability. They wanted dedicated pickup zones, which we agreed to, but when it came to taking responsibility for drivers, they maintained that the drivers were independent contractors and not employees of Uber.

“That created a major concern for us because of the safety issues being reported by passengers,” she stated.

She further explained that the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS) was introduced to provide visibility and accountability within airport transportation services.

Kuku stressed that FAAN does not collect money on behalf of drivers or determine whether passengers use e-hailing services or airport car-hire operators.

“The choice remains with the passenger. Our responsibility is simply to ensure that those operating within the airport environment can be identified and monitored for safety purposes,” she added.