FAAN's ACHRAMS System Raises Security Concerns for Passengers

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) issued an internal directive on July 30, signed by U.R. Liman, General Manager of Commercial Services, to suspend Uber and Bolt operations at all FAAN-managed airports pending formal licensing.

This suspension caused significant passenger disruptions, terminal congestion, and increased cab fares. In response to public outcry and operational disruptions reported by BusinessDay, FAAN stated it is in discussions with Uber and Bolt to create a unified operational framework aimed at enhancing security rather than imposing a blanket ban.

Central to FAAN's regulatory approach is the ACHRAMS (Airport Car Hire Revenue and Access Management System), which is designed for tracking airport transportation and managing concession revenues. However, security experts have raised concerns that ACHRAMS, as a static access management system, lacks the real-time biometric verification features found in e-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt, potentially compromising passenger safety.