Airport Taxi Reform Sparks Debate as FAAN, Drivers Differ Over Digital System

What began as a viral protest over the alleged enforcement of newer vehicle standards for airport taxi operators has evolved into a broader conversation about the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria's (FAAN) ambitious plan to digitise airport ground transportation. Although the protest initially focused on claims that airport cab drivers were being compelled to replace their vehicles with 2020 models, investigations reveal that the dispute runs much deeper. At the centre of the controversy is the implementation of the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS), a technology-driven platform introduced by FAAN to regulate airport taxi services, improve passenger safety, enhance transparency and modernise operations across Nigeria's airports. While FAAN insists the initiative is designed to strengthen security, eliminate touting and create a more efficient transport system, many airport cab operators argue that the issue is not opposition to digital innovation but a lack of adequate consultation and consideration for the realities of their daily operations. The debate gained national attention after a video surfaced online showing distressed airport taxi drivers appealing to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians for intervention. Speaking in Yoruba, one of the drivers lamented the financial burden they believed the policy would impose. "This is what we are facing. Nigerians should help us intervene. They said we should go and buy a vehicle from 2020 above. Vehicles that cost between N18 and N30m, with the way Nigeria is now. "There are no jobs in the country, with what we are going through. Please pity us Nigerians. Let this go viral. Nigerians pity us, help us intervene." The emotional appeal quickly spread across social media, generating mixed reactions. While many Nigerians sympathised with the drivers, citing the country's harsh economic realities, others argued that airport transport services should meet the standards expected of international aviation gateways. However, FAAN has dismissed claims that the protest stemmed from any directive requiring drivers to acquire 2020 model vehicles. The authority's Director of Commercial and Business Development, Adebola Agunbiade, said the viral narrative misrepresented the real issue. "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 ACHRAMS. 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." According to her, FAAN's existing requirement remains vehicles manufactured from 2012 upward, contrary to widespread claims on social media. "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." Agunbiade explained that the 2012 minimum vehicle standard was introduced in 2024 and that compliance deadlines had been extended several times—from January to June and now to October 1, 2026—to allow operators more time to comply in light of prevailing economic challenges. She also rejected reports suggesting that the digital platform was designed to reduce the number of airport taxi operators. "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." According to FAAN, almost all airport cab operators at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport have already been admitted into the pilot phase of the platform, except two companies whose unions allegedly opted not to participate while pursuing independent digital alternatives. The authority further disclosed that discussions are ongoing with ride-hailing platforms such as Bolt and Uber to integrate their airport operations into ACHRAMS. It maintained that any temporary restrictions on airport pickups by such operators are purely regulatory pending the conclusion of those engagements. FAAN describes ACHRAMS as more than a driver registration platform. The authority says it is intended to transform airport transportation through electronic booking, digital payment systems, real-time vehicle tracking, improved driver verification, transparent fare administration, designated pickup zones and stronger passenger security measures. The project, which is being implemented under a ten-year concession agreement managed by two private companies, is also expected to reduce congestion around airport terminals while bringing airport transport services in line with international best practices. Despite these assurances, airport taxi operators insist the reform process has failed to adequately carry them along. National President of the National Association of Airport Cab Drivers, Adepegba Samuel, said drivers are not opposed to modernisation but want meaningful engagement before policies affecting their livelihoods are fully implemented. "You see, when you want to introduce something that you want people to align with, there should be serious briefing and enlightenment about the issue. The people introducing something are in the office, but we are the ones operating on the road. They should speak with us so that we can also tell them our views." Samuel argued that airport taxi drivers occupy a critical position within the aviation value chain because they are often the final point of contact for travellers after they leave airport terminals. "We try to take the message to the public, but we need to sit together. We are the ones who will mostly speak to the public about this, but when we are not properly briefed or when you refuse to sit with us, how do we go forward from there? "There are things they don't know in the office that are happening, that we know because we deal with the public. We deal with the masses. We are at the finishing end of the job. "They will bring the passenger from the plane down. We will take them to their respective areas. So we are dealing with them. If they want to ask questions about our operation, the public will not ask the government first; they will ask us. That is why we are saying let us have a round-table discussion." Beyond consultation, Samuel also questioned whether the proposed technology adequately reflects the realities of airport operations across different terminals. "The app they are talking about varies. The one that we work with in MM1 will not work at the international terminal. This one cannot even work for the public. The app should be made for the airport alone and be generalised. "That is why we are seeking an audience with them, and they have refused to grant it. We are not fighting them. They are our bosses and principals, but they should please listen to us too." He further illustrated his concerns by pointing to long-standing customer relationships built over decades of airport operations. "For instance, I have a customer, an old customer of more than 25 years. Some of them have children in Babcock and other boarding schools. They don't even come to pick their children themselves because they have confidence in me. They trust me. "Imagine they are trying to reach me through the app from the international terminal while I am at the local airport; that will not be possible. "They are our principals, but what we are saying is that let us come to a round table and debate the issue. That is all we seek." Attempts to obtain FAAN's official response on why the authority had not met directly with the drivers' union were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to the agency's spokesperson, Henry Agbebire, were not returned as of the time of filing this report. However, senior FAAN officials familiar with the project, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, maintained that the authority had engaged extensively with the concessionaires responsible for managing airport taxi operations rather than the individual drivers. One official explained that the airport authority has no direct contractual relationship with the drivers themselves. "FAAN could not have met with them because they work at the airport under different companies, yes, concessionaires, and these people are the ones FAAN met on several occasions. We couldn't have met the drivers or unions." As the implementation of ACHRAMS gathers momentum, the disagreement highlights the delicate balance between digital transformation and stakeholder engagement. While FAAN believes the platform is essential to modernising airport transport and improving passenger experience, many operators insist the success of the reform will ultimately depend on greater collaboration, practical implementation and ensuring that those expected to operate the system have a meaningful voice in shaping it.