More than 300 taxi, car-hire and related logistics jobs at Nigerian airports are at risk as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) moves to enforce an October 2026 deadline requiring operators to replace vehicles manufactured before 2012 with later ones.
Prince Amosola, Chairman of the Airport Cab Operator’s, said the 17 licensed car-hire companies operating at the airport were struggling to meet the vehicle upgrade requirement, warning that the policy could push hundreds of workers into an already saturated labour market.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Amosola said most operators are unable to afford replacing their existing vehicles with newer models, with the cost of a 2012 vehicle estimated by operators at between N15 million and N18 million.
He said each of the 17 companies had more than 50 vehicles, but FAAN was now requiring operators to reduce their fleets to 30 vehicles per company while also enforcing the vehicle age requirement.
‘We have nothing less than 50 cars for each company times 17 companies. And finally they are telling us that we should bring it down to 30 cars from each company,’ he said.
Amosola said the operators had appealed to FAAN and the relevant authorities for more time to comply, arguing that the transition to newer vehicles should be gradual.
He said operators were also considering electric vehicles (EVs), following discussions with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, but that the cost of acquiring the vehicles remained prohibitive.
‘Even if you go to EV, how much is one EV? N38 million,’ he said, adding that operators needed more time to raise funds for the transition.
The operators said the proposed October deadline would affect not only business owners but also drivers and other workers who depend on airport cab operations for their livelihoods.
Also speaking, Ekwuemeaku Alex of Edom Comfort Auto Lease Ltd said the income generated by many operators was already low relative to their operating costs.
More than 300 taxi, car-hire and related logistics jobs at Nigerian airports are at risk as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) moves to enforce an October 2026 deadline requiring operators to replace vehicles manufactured before 2012 with later ones.
Prince Amosola, Chairman of the Airport Cab Operator’s, said the 17 licensed car-hire companies operating at the airport were struggling to meet the vehicle upgrade requirement, warning that the policy could push hundreds of workers into an already saturated labour market.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Amosola said most operators are unable to afford replacing their existing vehicles with newer models, with the cost of a 2012 vehicle estimated by operators at between N15 million and N18 million.
He said each of the 17 companies had more than 50 vehicles, but FAAN was now requiring operators to reduce their fleets to 30 vehicles per company while also enforcing the vehicle age requirement.
‘We have nothing less than 50 cars for each company times 17 companies. And finally they are telling us that we should bring it down to 30 cars from each company,’ he said.
Amosola said the operators had appealed to FAAN and the relevant authorities for more time to comply, arguing that the transition to newer vehicles should be gradual.
He said operators were also considering electric vehicles (EVs), following discussions with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, but that the cost of acquiring the vehicles remained prohibitive.
‘Even if you go to EV, how much is one EV? N38 million,’ he said, adding that operators needed more time to raise funds for the transition.
The operators said the proposed October deadline would affect not only business owners but also drivers and other workers who depend on airport cab operations for their livelihoods.
Also speaking, Ekwuemeaku Alex of Edom Comfort Auto Lease Ltd said the income generated by many operators was already low relative to their operating costs.