Ride-hailing giant, Uber has ended its operations in Nigeria after 12 years and withdrawn from one of Africa’s largest and most competitive transportation market amidst rising ride-hailing pressure.
The company discontinued its operations in Nigeria on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, following a review of its “evolving business priorities and investment focus” across Africa.
The exit came against a difficult operating environment for ride-hailing companies. Fuel costs, inflation, naira volatility, vehicle maintenance and financing costs have all increased the cost of running vehicles, while passengers and drivers remain highly sensitive to fare increments. The company’s departure also came shortly after a controversy surrounding e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports. However, the company did not hesitate to point out that its withdrawal was unrelated to the recent Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria directive.
The ride-hailing giant, Uber, mentioned that the decision was only limited to Nigeria and Uganda and would not affect its operations in other African markets. Although the company restrained from providing specific details on the factors that led to the decision, the company assured its users that it remained committed to sub-Saharan Africa and would continue investing in markets where it sees opportunities to provide earning opportunities for drivers and transportation services for riders at scale.
Uber said it had begun communicating with active drivers and would provide support during the transition. It also said affected employees would be contacted directly regarding arrangements following the shutdown.
The company’s Uber for Business service in Nigeria has also been discontinued, with Uber saying it was engaging affected business partners during the transition. For riders, Uber said its help centre would remain available until September 23 to assist with outstanding account-related issues. The company also said rider data would continue to be handled under applicable data-protection laws and its privacy policies.
The ride-hailing giant, Uber came into Nigeria in 2014, launching first in Lagos before expanding to Abuja in 2016 and subsequently serving other cities. Its arrival helped accelerate the adoption of app-based ride-hailing in Nigeria, where the sector has since grown to include international and locally developed platforms.
Uber’s withdrawal leaves Nigeria’s ride-hailing market to competitors including Bolt, inDrive and a growing number of local operators, as they compete for passengers and drivers.
The company’s departure from Nigeria came alongside a broader restructuring at Uber. The company disclosed its plans to cut about 3,300 corporate jobs, representing roughly 10% of its corporate workforce, as it seeks to simplify its operations and redirect resources towards areas it considers key to future growth.
Uber further disclosed plans to increase its focus on autonomous transportation, with plans to invest more than $10 billion in robotaxi technology and partnerships as competition intensifies from companies such as Waymo and Tesla.
