LAGOS/Nigeria: The departure of Uber from Nigeria should prompt a closer examination of how the country’s e-hailing industry protects passengers and drivers, Orodata Science, a data and civic technology organisation, has said.
The organisation made the call in a new report titled “E-Hailing After Uber: Protecting Consumers, Drivers and the Future,” which examines the implications of Uber’s withdrawal and the regulatory issues confronting app-based transportation in Nigeria.
Uber discontinued its Nigerian operations on September 2, 2026, ending a 12-year presence that began with its launch in Lagos in 2014. The company attributed the decision to a review of its business priorities and investment focus across Africa.
Orodata said the development had created an opportunity to look beyond the competition for market share among e-hailing platforms and consider the people who depend on the sector for transportation and income.
Its report examined the evolving market involving operators such as Bolt, inDrive, LagRide, Rida, Shuttlers and SafeBoda, while identifying passenger safety, driver welfare, fares, platform accountability and working conditions as issues requiring sustained attention.
The organisation argued that the expansion of digital transportation should be accompanied by safeguards capable of protecting both passengers and drivers as the market changes.
It called for clearer regulatory and consumer-protection measures, saying these could help create greater accountability among operators while allowing innovation within the industry to continue.
The report also considers developments in South Africa, drawing lessons from approaches to regulating e-hailing services and protecting the interests of industry stakeholders.
According to Orodata, Nigeria could use the current transition in the market to develop a framework that balances technological innovation with passenger safety, driver welfare and accountability.
The organisation’s concerns come against the backdrop of broader challenges facing Nigeria’s e-hailing sector. Recent reporting has highlighted pressure from fuel costs, inflation and currency volatility, while drivers have also raised concerns about earnings and operating conditions.
Driver welfare has become particularly relevant following Uber’s departure, with reports indicating that some drivers who financed vehicles specifically for platform operations have faced uncertainty over how to continue meeting their financial obligations after the shutdown.
Passenger protection has also featured in recent regulatory discussions. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said it had received complaints concerning some e-hailing and car-hire services operating at airports and linked its intervention to concerns about passenger safety and accountability.
Orodata said the post-Uber period should therefore be used to strengthen the institutional framework around e-hailing rather than focusing exclusively on which companies gain customers following the market change.
It urged policymakers and industry stakeholders to pay greater attention to the economic pressures facing drivers and to ensure that passengers have access to transportation services that are safe, reliable and accountable.
The organisation also stressed the importance of protecting drivers’ rights and improving accountability among e-hailing operators.
It said stronger evidence, research and public engagement would be necessary to guide policy decisions as Nigeria’s app-based transportation industry evolves.
The report ultimately presents Uber’s departure as an opportunity, in Orodata’s assessment, to reassess the rules governing the sector and develop a more sustainable framework for passengers, drivers, technology companies and regulators.
