FAAN Clarifies N30,000 Lagos Airport Taxi Fare

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that the controversial N30,000 taxi fare for trips from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, was not a new rate imposed by the authority or introduced through its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS).

FAAN made the clarification in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, on Thursday, amid public criticism over the cost of airport transportation.

The controversy followed a video by travel content creator Chris Joondeph, popularly known as Authentic Travelling, showing a quoted fare of N30,000 for a trip from the Lagos airport to the Radisson Hotel in Ikeja.

A check showed that the same journey was listed at N6,900 on another e-hailing platform, while Uber quoted N4,200 for UberX and N5,800 for its Priority option.

Reacting to the concerns, FAAN said the airport taxi fares highlighted in recent public discussions had existed before ACHRAMS and were not substantially different from rates previously applicable.

The Authority explained that ACHRAMS was introduced to improve the management and visibility of authorised airport car-hire operations, not to determine or introduce taxi fares.

FAAN said the system had instead provided greater transparency around existing airport taxi rates, making the cost more visible to passengers.

It acknowledged that comparisons with cheaper fares offered by e-hailing platforms such as Uber and Bolt had heightened concerns among passengers.

FAAN also announced that it had resolved its operational issues with Bolt, clearing the e-hailing company to resume services at its managed airports.

The Authority said its efforts to strengthen the management of commercial transportation at airports followed concerns that had persisted for nearly a decade, including passenger solicitation, touting, random pick-ups, unregulated operations, and related safety and accountability issues.

FAAN stressed that it supports healthy competition in airport transportation and has no intention of creating or promoting a monopoly.