The reported N30,000 fare from Murtala Muhammed International Airport to Ikeja has triggered a fresh call for urgent regulatory intervention, with the Editor of Transport Day Media, Mr Frank Kintum, describing the charge as excessive and unacceptable.
Kintum reacted 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, even as conventional ride-hailing platforms offered substantially lower fares for the same journey.
While acknowledging the need for safe, regulated and reliable transportation at Nigeria’s airports, Kintum warned that regulation must not become an excuse for passengers to be subjected to exorbitant charges.
According to him, the huge disparity between the reported airport car-hire fare and rates offered by Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing platforms raises serious questions about pricing, competition, consumer protection and passenger welfare.
“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,” he said.
Kintum noted that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had explained that the Airport Car Hire and Ride Management System (ACHRAMS) was introduced to regulate airport car-hire operations, rather than compete with or duplicate services provided by Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing companies.
However, he insisted that regulation must go hand in hand with transparency, fairness and competitive pricing.
“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 therefore urged FAAN and other relevant stakeholders to urgently review the airport transport fare structure and explore ways of integrating conventional e-hailing operators into the airport transportation framework, subject to appropriate security and operational requirements.
He also called for clearly displayed fares, effective passenger complaint mechanisms and regular monitoring of airport transport operators.
Kintum stressed that Nigerian airports should offer passengers safe, efficient, convenient and reasonably priced mobility options, warning that excessive transportation costs could damage Nigeria’s image and undermine efforts to attract business, tourism and investment.
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