The Editor of Transport Day Media, Mr Frank Kintum, has criticised the reported N30,000 fare charged for a journey from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to Ikeja, describing the price disparity as excessive and a matter that deserves urgent regulatory attention.
Kintum was reacting to a report that an airport car-hire operator quoted N30,000 for a trip from the Lagos airport to the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja, while conventional ride-hailing platforms offered significantly lower fares for the same journey.
According to him, while there is a clear need for safe, regulated and reliable transportation services at Nigeria’s airports, regulation should not result in excessive charges that place an unnecessary financial burden on passengers.
He said the wide gap between the reported airport car-hire fare and rates offered by Uber, Bolt and other platforms raises serious questions about pricing, competition, consumer protection and the overall passenger experience.
“Airport transportation is an important part of the aviation value chain and the first point of contact for many visitors arriving in Nigeria. When a passenger is confronted with a fare several times higher than the prevailing market rate for a relatively short journey, it can create a negative impression of our transportation system,” Kintum said.
He noted that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had explained that the Airport Car Hire and Ride Management System, ACHRAMS, was introduced to regulate airport car-hire operations and was not intended to compete with or replicate services provided by Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing companies.
However, Kintum said regulation must be accompanied by transparency and fairness.
“If the objective is to protect passengers and improve airport transportation, the pricing structure must be transparent, competitive and justifiable. There should be no situation where passengers are effectively compelled to pay significantly more simply because they are travelling from an airport,” he stated.
The Transport Day Media Editor urged FAAN and relevant stakeholders to review the fare structure and consider integrating conventional e-hailing operators into the airport transportation framework, subject to appropriate security and operational requirements.
He also called for clear fare displays, effective passenger complaint mechanisms and regular monitoring of airport transport operators.
Kintum stressed that Nigeria’s airports should provide passengers with safe, efficient, convenient and reasonably priced mobility options, adding that excessive transport costs could undermine efforts to improve Nigeria’s image as a destination for business, tourism and investment.
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