inDrive Speaks on Operations in Nigeria After Uber Exist, Drivers Make Demands
- inDrive's Nigeria country director confirmed the company plans to keep investing after Uber ended its 12-year operation in the country on September 2
- inDrive has invited drivers and fleet owners affected by Uber's exit to join its platform across 7 Nigerian cities
- A drivers' union is pressing inDrive to back its commitment with action on fares, commissions and worker welfare
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Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Ride-hailing company inDrive has said it will continue to operate and invest in Nigeria following Uber's exit from the market, even as a drivers' union warned that staying in the country means little without concrete improvements for workers.
inDrive Country Director for Nigeria Timothy Oladimeji said on September 3 that Nigeria remains a strategic market for the company and that its user base has kept growing.
Source: Getty Images
The company currently runs services in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Ibadan, Owerri and Enugu.
Uber ended its Nigerian operations on September 2 after 12 years in the country, citing a review of its investment priorities across Africa. The company also pulled out of Uganda at the same time.
inDrive Moves to Attract Uber's Drivers
Oladimeji said Uber's departure was not anticipated, but added that competition had pushed ride-hailing companies to raise their standards.
He said:
"We have always welcomed competition because it drives us to continuously improve our products and services for the benefit of our users."
Unlike platforms that use algorithms to set prices, inDrive lets passengers and drivers agree on a fare before a trip begins. The company also says it charges a lower service fee than rivals and has extended its offering into courier and other mobility services.
In the wake of Uber's exit, inDrive opened its platform to affected drivers and fleet owners, the Guardian reports.
Oladimeji said the company was also building tools for mobility investors to help them earn income from vehicles on the platform.
He said:
"Our goal is to provide drivers with flexible earning opportunities while ensuring passengers continue to have access to affordable, reliable, and increasingly diverse mobility services."
Drivers Union Raises Concerns
The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Lagos State chapter, welcomed talk of expansion but questioned what it would deliver for drivers on the ground.
Steven Iwindoye, the chapter's public relations officer, said inDrive's long-term commitment should be judged by what drivers actually earn, not by announcements alone.
Source: Getty Images
He pointed out that drivers bear most of the costs of running a service, including fuel, vehicle repairs, insurance, data subscriptions, loan repayments and depreciation.
Iwindoye said:
"The question is not simply whether inDrive will remain in Nigeria, but what that commitment means for the workers who keep the platform running."
He also cautioned that lower negotiated fares could further squeeze drivers' incomes, since many underlying costs fall on drivers regardless of the final trip price.
AUATON is calling for sustainable fare structures, transparent commission terms, stronger worker representation and better safety provisions.
The Cable reports that the union also wants ride-hailing companies to consult organised driver groups before rolling out policies that could affect their earnings.
Uber's departure leaves Bolt, inDrive and the Lagos state-backed LagRide as the main options for Nigerian commuters. Iwindoye summed up the union's position plainly:
"Without the driver, there is no trip, no passenger service and no Nigerian ride-hailing market."
Passengers pay more as airport cab fares hit new high
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that travellers departing and arriving at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos are facing transport costs up to five times higher than normal, following a decision by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to suspend e-hailing platforms, including Uber and Bolt, from the airport precinct
A passenger identified as Chude on X said he paid N30,000 for a taxi from the airport to the Radisson Hotel in Ikeja, a journey he said would cost N6,000 on InDrive.
The fare gap has drawn sharp criticism from the public. Another traveller, Tosin, called on the FAAN and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to intervene.
Source: Legit.ng
