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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Economy & Trade

Mixed reactions follow Uber’s exit from Nigeria

From Vanguard · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Lagos residents have expressed mixed views after Uber announced it was ending operations in Nigeria and Uganda with immediate effect.
  • Some residents said the departure could worsen transport challenges, reduce competition and threaten drivers’ livelihoods.
  • Others said platforms such as InDrive and LagRide could absorb affected drivers and limit the impact on commuters.

Uber’s exit from Nigeria has prompted sharply divided reactions in Lagos. Some residents fear the departure will deepen transport problems and leave drivers struggling, while others believe rival platforms can take its place.

Uber announced on September 2 that it was closing its operations in Nigeria and Uganda with immediate effect. The company called it a “difficult decision” resulting from a strategic review of its business priorities and investment focus across Africa. Uber began operating in Nigeria in 2014 and expanded into Uganda two years later.

difficult decision

· UberThe company used the phrase when explaining its immediate withdrawal from Nigeria and Uganda.

Journalist Florence Okonkwo said the departure would worsen challenges for commuters and put additional pressure on other app-based transport operators. Many passengers would need to find alternatives, she said, while affected drivers could face difficulties amid unemployment and concerns about earnings in the ride-hailing sector. Although Uber announced financial support for affected drivers, Okonkwo said the assistance might not provide sustainable livelihoods. She urged the government to encourage other transport companies to absorb the drivers.

There is the need for a healthy competition among taxis. Having different options allows us, as customers, to compare prices and decide which service works best for us

· Edith NwaforThe banker argued that Uber’s departure would reduce competition and consumer choice.

Banker Edith Nwafor called the decision a setback for commuters and stressed the importance of competition. “There is the need for a healthy competition among taxis. Having different options allows us, as customers, to compare prices and decide which service works best for us,” she said. She recalled that Uber sometimes offered lower fares than competitors and said its departure would reduce consumer choice.

Businesswoman Funke Ajijala said Uber’s absence would create a vacuum that other operators might not immediately fill. But journalist Ola Akanni disagreed, saying platforms including InDrive and LagRide remained available. He argued that affected drivers could move to other services rather than lose their livelihoods.

Though we have other e-hailing transport companies, the place of Uber has been different

· Funke AjijalaThe businesswoman said other operators might not immediately replace Uber’s role.
About this summary

Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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