FAAN Kicks Out Abuja Airport Parking Firm Over N25,000 Fine Controversy

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has ordered the immediate removal of a parking enforcement company from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following allegations that motorists were being subjected to an unauthorised N25,000 penalty.

The development was disclosed on Friday by Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), through his official X account.

The action followed a complaint by an X user, Ogundipe, Esq., who alleged irregularities in the enforcement of parking restrictions and the collection of penalties at the Abuja airport.

According to Achimugu, the complaint was escalated to FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Kuku, who directed the immediate ejection of the company allegedly responsible for the practice.

“Based off the escalation of this complaint to the Managing Director of FAAN, Ms Olubunmi Kuku, she has ordered the immediate ejection, from the Abuja airport, of the company responsible for this illegal action,” Achimugu stated.

He said Kuku had consistently maintained that she would take appropriate action whenever evidence of illegal activities that inconvenience airport users was established.

Achimugu added that FAAN was already discussing the engagement of a replacement company capable of providing parking management services at the airport.

He, however, urged motorists and other airport users to comply with designated parking and pick-up regulations while using the facility.

Alleged N25,000 Penalty

The controversy began after Ogundipe alleged that enforcement personnel at the airport clamped vehicles belonging to motorists who briefly stopped in restricted areas.

According to the complaint, affected motorists were allegedly taken to a red-painted container and asked to pay N25,000 before their vehicles could be released.

The complainant also questioned the payment process, alleging that motorists who requested to pay into an account displayed at the enforcement office were told that confirmation could take several hours or even days.

He further alleged that some motorists were instead directed to make payments through PoS operators or accounts reportedly linked to fintech platforms, including OPay, Moniepoint and PalmPay.

Names including Sani Nasiru, Bala Matazu and Yahaya Matage were allegedly displayed when some of the accounts provided for payment were entered.

The complainant further alleged that even after motorists presented proof of payment, the release of their vehicles was not always immediate.

FAAN has not publicly identified the company involved or disclosed the total amount allegedly collected through the disputed payment channels.

FAAN Tightens Airport Transport Operations

The development comes amid wider efforts by FAAN to strengthen the regulation and management of commercial transportation services at Nigerian airports.

On Thursday, August 20, FAAN announced plans to establish a new operational framework for Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing operators at airports across the country.

The authority said the framework would focus on passenger safety, security, accountability, operational visibility and orderly pick-up arrangements.

FAAN said it was engaging relevant operators to develop a system that would enable e-hailing companies to continue serving passengers while complying with airport operational requirements.

The authority also clarified that its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System, known as ACHRAMS, is not an e-hailing application and was not designed to compete with platforms such as Uber and Bolt.

According to FAAN, ACHRAMS was developed to provide operational visibility and tracking within airport environments and to facilitate accountable management of applicable concession and related airport charges.

July Dispute Over Airport Car Hire Operators

The latest controversy also comes against the backdrop of a separate dispute involving airport car-hire operators in July.

The dispute followed the circulation of a social media video showing drivers apparently resisting FAAN’s commercial transport requirements, amid claims that the authority was demanding vehicles manufactured from 2020 onwards.

FAAN subsequently clarified that the claim was inaccurate, explaining that the incident was related to resistance to registration on ACHRAMS and attempts to frustrate its soft and pilot launches at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The authority said the actual requirement was for vehicles manufactured in 2012 or newer, rather than 2020.

FAAN maintained that the requirement had been communicated to operators since 2024, with an initial compliance deadline of January 1, 2026, later extended to June 2026.

The authority subsequently considered another extension to October 1, 2026, while reviewing the operational tariff for airport cab operators from N500 to N1,500.

The latest action by FAAN underscores the authority’s stated resolve to address complaints involving airport users and strengthen accountability in the provision of commercial services within Nigeria’s airports.