Ride-hailing giant shuts down operations as soaring fuel, vehicle costs, low fares and regulatory pressure squeeze industry
Global ride-hailing giant Uber has officially pulled the plug on its ride-hailing operations in Nigeria, ending a 12-year run that helped reshape urban transportation and the livelihoods of thousands of drivers across the country.
The company’s exit took effect on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, bringing an abrupt end to an era that began in 2014 when Uber launched in Lagos before expanding to other major Nigerian cities, including Abuja.
Uber’s departure marks one of the biggest setbacks yet for Nigeria’s struggling app-based transport sector, which has been battered by soaring fuel prices, escalating vehicle maintenance costs, regulatory pressures and growing driver dissatisfaction over fare levels.
The company’s arrival had revolutionised urban mobility, allowing Nigerians to summon rides through smartphones, make cashless payments and giving thousands of drivers access to a new source of income.
But behind the convenience, the industry has increasingly come under pressure as the cost of keeping vehicles on the road has surged while drivers complain that fares have failed to keep pace with rising operating expenses.
Earlier this year, app-based transport operators in Lagos and Ogun staged a shutdown to protest what they described as unsustainably low fares and mounting operational costs.
Uber’s Nigerian exit also comes as the company undertakes a major global restructuring, including plans to cut about 10 per cent of its workforce.
For millions of Nigerians who relied on Uber for daily commuting, airport transfers, business trips and late-night journeys, the shutdown signals a major shake-up in the country’s already turbulent transportation landscape.
After 12 years of driving Nigeria’s ride-hailing revolution, the Uber era is over.
