The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria on Friday dismissed claims circulating on social media that it directed airport taxi operators to replace their vehicles with 2020 model cars before they could continue operating at the nation’s airports.
The clarification came after a viral video showed some airport cab drivers appealing to President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians to intervene, alleging that FAAN had introduced a policy compelling them to purchase vehicles valued at between N18m and N30m despite the prevailing economic hardship.
In the video, one of the drivers claimed that the authority was insisting on 2020 model vehicles as part of a new app-based airport taxi system, describing the requirement as unrealistic for many operators struggling to remain in business.The video sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians expressing sympathy for the drivers, while others argued that airport transport services should meet the higher standards expected at international airports
Responding to the controversy, FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Ms Adebola Agunbiade, said the claims were false and did not reflect the authority’s policy.
She said, “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 Airport Car Hire Rank Management System. 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.”