For drivers who built their livelihoods around Uber, Wednesday’s announcement that the ride-hailing company would leave Nigeria landed as a personal shock.
Mezie, a driver who has worked with the platform for several years, said he was surprised when the company’s email announcing its exit arrived.
“I have been with Uber for many years,” he told TechCabal. “It is sad they have to go, and it will affect my line of business because they are one of the major apps I use.”
Mezie said Uber’s reputation among customers, particularly Nigerians and other users living abroad, had made it an important source of business for him.
Uber’s exit, after a 12-year run, will leave Nigerian ride-hailing drivers facing the loss of a major source of demand, with some now questioning how they will replace the income. The company said it will discontinue operations in Nigeria and Uganda from September 2, as part of a shift in its business priorities and investment focus across Africa.
“After a thorough review, we have taken the difficult decision to wind down operations in Nigeria and Uganda, effective September 2, 2026,” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement shared with TechCabal. “Our immediate priority is supporting drivers, riders, and local team members throughout this transition.”
The company said the decision is limited to Nigeria and Uganda and does not affect its operations in other African markets. For drivers, however, the immediate concern is what the exit means for their earnings.
Another driver, who identified himself only as David, said he had spent about a decade working with Uber and had invested in a car specifically for the platform.
“The reason I bought this car was to use it as an Uber ride. I am a foundation member. This exit will really affect my income,” he said.
David’s concern reflects the financial commitment some drivers make to ride-hailing. For those who bought or financed vehicles with platforms such as Uber in mind, losing one of the major apps they rely on could mean finding new ways to keep those vehicles earning.
Abdul-azeez Sule, another driver, said he was still processing the news when he spoke. He had used the app to drop a passenger at a hotel in Ikeja, Lagos’ capital, on Tuesday afternoon, just a day before Uber’s announcement.
He said the prospect of losing the platform had left him worried about what would happen to his income.
“Is there nothing the Federal Government can do? If it’s about the money, something can be done? This will really affect us who are ride-hailing drivers. Things will become even tougher for us.”
Another driver, *Peggy Oyibo, who is based in Port Harcourt, a major oil-producing city in southern Nigeria, said Uber was the only ride-hailing platform she used because of what she described as its “generous” rates.
For Oyibo, the company’s exit is not simply the loss of another app on her phone. It threatens a source of income that she relies on to support her family. She said she was unaware of Uber’s decision until contacted by TechCabal, after which she checked her email and confirmed that the company was indeed leaving Nigeria.
“This is all I do to put food on my table,” she said. “I didn’t even know of the shutdown until you brought it to my notice and I checked my mail and saw that it was true.”
Oyibo said she and her husband rely on their incomes to provide for their four children. With one of their children, a two-year-old, due to start school in September, she said the timing of the announcement had made the news particularly difficult to absorb.
“My husband and I use this to fend for our four kids. And I have a two-year-old who is to resume school this September,” she said. “I am saddened by this news, and I wish there was something we could do.”
Peggy’s husband, Oyibo, told TechCabal that he refused to believe the news, despite the evidence of an email from Uber.
“I cannot accept it. What do they expect me and my family to do? How do they expect us to feed?” he queried.
Uber said it has been in touch with active drivers and will provide them with a one-off discretionary “goodwill payment” as they transition away from the platform.
According to the terms shown to drivers and seen by TechCabal, the payment will be made into the bank account registered on their Uber account and processed within a few days of the closure date.
Uber said the payment is separate from drivers’ earnings and does not include or replace any incentives, fare adjustments, or service fees. The company also clarified that receiving the payment does not change the drivers’ status as independent contractors.
The terms state that details of the goodwill payment are confidential and should not be shared with others.
The company did not disclose the value of the payment in its statement.
The exit comes weeks after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) temporarily restricted Uber and Bolt from operating at airports under its management while it worked with the platforms on new licence agreements. FAAN later clarified that it had not imposed a blanket ban on e-hailing services, and Bolt was subsequently cleared to resume airport operations.
Uber said its decision to leave Nigeria was unrelated to the FAAN directive concerning e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports.
“Uber’s decision to discontinue operations in Nigeria was made following a review of its evolving business priorities and investment focus across Africa,” the company said.
The drivers’ concerns come as Uber’s exit threatens to reshape a market in which thousands of drivers and passengers have become accustomed to using the platform. For drivers, the immediate question is not simply which app will replace Uber, but whether alternative platforms can provide comparable demand, earnings and access to customers.
The impact will also depend on how quickly drivers can move their businesses elsewhere and whether passengers follow them to competing services.
Uber’s exit will also affect its other services in Nigeria. The company said Uber for Business services will be discontinued, while affected employees, drivers and riders are being contacted directly about the transition.
Rider support will remain available for 21 days after operations cease to assist with outstanding queries and transition-related matters, according to the company.
For Mezie, however, the announcement already feels like the loss of an important part of his working life.
“I have been with them for many years,” he said. “It is sad they have to go.”
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