Uber Halts Nigeria Operations After 12 Years, Stranding Drivers and Passengers

Uber has abruptly ended its operations in Nigeria after 12 years, shutting down its app on September 2 and leaving thousands of drivers without income and passengers across major cities, including Lagos, without service.

The exit caught both drivers and passengers off guard. Commuter Herman Everett found his Uber app completely blank on the day the service stopped. "It's very very annoying and very frustrating when you need a particular service at a particular time and you can't have it," he said.

Drivers say they received no warning. Ahmed Dosumu, who had driven on the platform for eight years, learned of the exit mid-trip while driving to the airport. "Uber exit will have a direct impact on me personally, because ride hailing is part of my livelihood. That means I'm going to lose the hub that gave me my customer base and income," he said. "It's crazy for them to leave like that without giving us any prompt notice."

The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria confirmed that Uber gave zero notice. Nkechi Abiola, the union's national women's representative, said the exit was inevitable given the company's failure to engage with drivers. "When I heard that Uber exited, I was like, it's high time," she said. "Uber has failed to listen to the union. So, if you don't have communication with us to assist you with how your app will be sustained in Nigeria then definitely a time like this will definitely come."

Nigeria's consumer protection agency, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has stepped in over petitions from consumers about unfulfilled contracts. The head of the agency said it is following up on the petitions and that the investigation is ongoing, adding that further comment could jeopardize it.

Uber attributes the decision to changing global investment priorities. But Francesca Uriri, former head of communications for Uber West Africa, pointed to deeper systemic issues. "When we also look at some of the behaviors, I would say of the driver partners, there were several times that the brand witnessed a lot of fraud and that obviously contributed negatively to the business bottom line," she said.

With Uber now out of the country, experts warn that regulatory enforcement will face significant challenges as the FCCPC's investigation into consumer petitions continues.