“After a thorough review of our business, we have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria, effective 2 September 2026,” Uber said in the email sent to customers. No advance public notice was given before the message landed in inboxes.
Uber launched in Nigeria in 2014, becoming one of the first major companies to help establish the country’s modern ride-hailing industry, introducing a new way for Nigerians to request and pay for rides while also creating an additional income stream for drivers. The platform quickly gained traction in Lagos and Abuja before expanding to other cities.
The company helped build the country’s ride-hailing market but is leaving as intensifying competition, rising operating costs, and growing regulatory pressure have made the market harder to navigate. Local competitors, including Bolt and InDrive, have steadily expanded their presence in Nigeria, increasing the competitive pressure Uber faced. The company did not name any single factor in its message to users.
Uber said it arrived at the decision following a review of its evolving business priorities and investment focus across Africa.
The company confirmed the decision is limited strictly to Nigeria and Uganda and does not affect its operations across the rest of the continent.
Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa are the four African markets where Uber remains operational. Nigeria, its largest West African market by population, is no longer among them.
Nigeria marks Uber’s third African exit in about a year.
The ride-hailing company left Côte d’Ivoire in September 2025 due to operational friction, ending its six-year operation in the Francophone African country.
In January, Uber also exited Tanzania after years of regulatory tensions and clashes over fares, commissions, and regulatory control. The pattern of exits raises questions about the economics of African ride-hailing markets that Uber has not fully addressed publicly.
Uber’s operations in Nigeria had faced several challenges over the years, particularly disputes with drivers over fare rates and commission charges. Drivers protested against Uber’s policies in 2017, while similar industrial actions involving Uber and other ride-hailing platforms were recorded in 2023 and 2025 over concerns about low fares and commission rates.
The company acknowledged that its exit could disrupt the routines of passengers and driver-partners. “We know this may cause disruption to your routine, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,” it said.
While the core ride-hailing service ceased operations immediately on Wednesday, the company confirmed that its dedicated Help Center will remain accessible to users until September 23, 2026. Users with unresolved account matters, including disputes over charges or outstanding payments, have until that date to submit their inquiries.
Uber said the personal data of Nigerian riders will continue to be handled in line with applicable data protection laws and its data protection policies, and the company said it will limit data retention to information that is legally required while maintaining appropriate security controls.
On September 1, Uber also discontinued UberX, its low-budget service, in South Africa, pointing to a broader strategic pullback from markets where it sees weak economic value. The timing, one day before the Nigeria closure, was not coincidental, according to analysts tracking the company’s African strategy.
Lorraine Onduru, Head of Communications for Uber in East and West Africa, confirmed that Uber “remains deeply committed to Sub-Saharan Africa,” citing continued growth and long-term opportunity in the markets where it remains active. She did not address what that commitment means for Nigerian drivers who have now lost the platform.
For the riders and drivers whose daily income or movement depended on Uber, the shutdown of Nigeria’s ride-hailing pioneer is effective now, with no Uber exits available and a 21-day window the only remaining thread connecting them to a platform they used for 12 years.
