The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria says it is considering extending its airport taxi upgrade deadline to October.

This was disclosed in a statement on Monday by Henry Agbebire, FAAN’s spokesman.

The statement said the possible extension followed concerns raised by the Nigeria Union of Private Cab Operators. It said the authority’s vehicle upgrade policy aimed to improve service standards at Nigerian airports.

“The policy aligns with international best practices and seeks to elevate service quality,” FAAN said.

The aviation agency added that airport taxi users deserved clean, safe, comfortable and professionally maintained vehicles and dismissed claims that FAAN had failed to engage airport cab operators on the policy.

FAAN said it maintained regular discussions with licensed transport providers operating within airport premises. The statement explained that FAAN’s regulatory relationship was with registered cab companies, not associations or unions.

“Engagements on operational matters are conducted directly with affected corporate entities,” it said.

The statement stressed that FAAN remained open to constructive dialogue with transport operators, adding that discussions on the upgrade policy began in July 2024, which gave operators time to comply.

It noted that the original deadline was extended to January 2026, then to June 2026. According to the statement, the extensions took economic realities into account and provided operators with sufficient preparation time.

FAAN said the policy was not designed to punish operators or deny them business opportunities.

“Operators have been afforded ample opportunity to prepare for compliance,” it stated.

It warned that further extensions beyond the proposed final deadline might not be granted.

The FAAN statement acknowledged the role of airport cab operators in passenger movement. He urged operators to embrace the initiative and support improved transport services.

It said FAAN remained committed to passenger-focused policies across the aviation sector.

(NAN)