FACT-CHECK: Claim that FAAN Directive Forced Uber to Leave Nigeria is Misleading!

BY: Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho 

Claim:

A claim circulating online suggests that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) forced Uber to leave Nigeria after restricting the ride-hailing company’s operations at Nigerian airports.

Verdict:

Misleading.

Full Text:

Uber, a global ride-hailing company, announced on September 2, 2026, that it would discontinue its operations in Nigeria after 12 years in the country.

The announcement came weeks after a dispute between Uber, Bolt and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) over the operation of e-hailing services at Nigerian airports.

The timing of the two events has prompted claims online that FAAN’s directive forced Uber out of Nigeria.

However, findings by FactCheckAfrica shows that although FAAN temporarily restricted Uber and Bolt’s commercial operations at its managed airports, there is no evidence that the directive forced Uber to withdraw from the Nigerian market.

What happened?

On July 30, 2026, FAAN directed airport managers under its management to ensure that Uber and Bolt ceased commercial operations at FAAN-managed airports pending the finalisation and execution of licence agreements.

The directive was contained in an internal memo signed by FAAN’s General Manager, Commercial Services, U.R. Liman. The memo instructed airport managers to stop the commercial operations of the two e-hailing companies until the relevant licence agreements were concluded.

The development triggered public concerns, particularly among passengers who relied on Uber and Bolt for transportation to and from airports.

However, FAAN subsequently clarified that its position did not amount to a blanket ban on e-hailing services.

In a statement issued on August 20, 2026, FAAN said its objective was to ensure that commercial transportation services operating within airport premises complied with safety, security, accountability and operational requirements.

The authority specifically stated that the situation should not be misconstrued as a blanket prohibition on e-hailing services.

FAAN’s explanation is also available directly on its official website. “faan.gov.ng” (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/3)

When did Uber leave Nigeria?

On September 2, 2026, Uber announced that it was winding down its operations in Nigeria, effective the same day.

The company said the decision followed a review of its business and described the withdrawal as a difficult decision after 12 years of operations in the country.

Reuters also independently reported that Uber would cease its Nigerian operations effective September 2, 2026, after 12 years in the country. The report said Uber had reviewed its operations but did not provide specific details beyond its stated business considerations.

Did FAAN force Uber out?

There is no evidence to support this. The strongest evidence against the claim comes from Uber itself.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, Uber said its decision to discontinue operations in Nigeria and Uganda followed a review of its “evolving business priorities and investment focus across Africa.”

More importantly, the company said its decision to leave Nigeria was unrelated to the recent FAAN directive concerning e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports. Techpoint Africa also reported that Uber attributed the decision to a review of its business priorities and investment focus across Africa and said the decision was limited to Nigeria and Uganda.

This means there is a clear distinction between the two events: FAAN’s directive affected Uber’s commercial operations at FAAN-managed airports, while Uber’s announcement concerned the company’s entire Nigerian ride-hailing operation.

What was the scope of FAAN’s action?

The wording of FAAN’s July 30 directive is important. The directive ordered Uber and Bolt to stop commercial operations at FAAN-managed airports pending licensing arrangements.

It did not order Uber to shut down its ride-hailing business throughout Nigeria. FAAN later reinforced this distinction, saying it had never intended to limit passengers’ access to transportation options or undermine e-hailing services.

According to FAAN, the issue was how commercial transportation should operate within a highly regulated airport environment. The authority said it was engaging the operators to develop a workable operational framework that would allow e-hailing companies to continue serving passengers while meeting airport safety, security and accountability requirements.

What happened after the airport dispute?

The airport dispute continued after the July 30 directive. On August 20, FAAN publicly clarified that it had not imposed a blanket ban on Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing services.

A few days later, Bolt resumed operations at Nigerian airports following intervention by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.

Premium Times reported that the resumption followed discussions around the airport transport framework and the concerns generated by the suspension.

This is significant because it shows that the dispute over airport operations was still being addressed as a regulatory and licensing matter. It does not, by itself, demonstrate that FAAN caused Uber’s subsequent nationwide withdrawal.

What does the evidence establish?

FactCheckAfrica’s review establishes four key points: First, FAAN did issue a directive stopping Uber and Bolt from conducting commercial operations at FAAN-managed airports pending licensing arrangements.

Second, FAAN later clarified that the directive did not constitute a blanket ban on e-hailing services. Third, Uber announced its withdrawal from the Nigerian market on September 2, 2026.

Fourth, Uber explicitly said its decision to discontinue operations in Nigeria was unrelated to the recent FAAN directive and was instead based on a review of its business priorities and investment focus across Africa.

Conclusion:

The claim that FAAN’s directive forced Uber to leave Nigeria is misleading. FAAN did temporarily restrict Uber’s commercial operations at airports under its management. However, the directive did not constitute a nationwide order for Uber to stop operating in Nigeria.

More importantly, Uber has explicitly stated that its decision to discontinue operations in Nigeria was not related to the FAAN directive.

While the FAAN dispute occurred shortly before Uber’s exit and may explain why some social media users connected the two events, the available evidence does not establish a causal relationship between them.