By Sekinat Osundiji
Ride-hailing giant Uber has commenced the winding down of its operations in Nigeria, with the company’s exit coming amid a major global restructuring aimed at cutting costs and redirecting investments to areas it considers to have stronger growth potential.
Uber announced that its Nigerian operations would end effective September 2, 2026, 12 years after it launched its service in Lagos in 2014.
The decision is part of a broader restructuring by the company, which includes plans to cut approximately 3,300 jobs globally and reduce management layers as Uber seeks to streamline its operations and redirect resources towards its core businesses, including ride-hailing, delivery and autonomous vehicles and robotaxis.
The restructuring was announced by Uber Chief Executive Officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, who said the company’s rapid growth had resulted in more layers of management, greater coordination and fragmented ownership.
Although Uber is leaving Nigeria and Uganda, the company has said it remains committed to the Sub-Saharan African market.
The development has, however, triggered mixed reactions among Nigerians, with some expressing sadness and others questioning why the company would leave a country with such a large population and transportation market.
Reacting to the development on Facebook, Ifeanyi Christopher attributed Uber’s difficulties in Nigeria partly to the challenging business environment, particularly the naira-to-dollar exchange rate and competition within the ride-hailing industry.
He said Nigeria was “a very difficult market for foreign companies to operate in”, arguing that rising foreign-currency costs could eventually make services too expensive for consumers.
According to him, Uber’s pricing challenges could push customers towards cheaper alternatives, noting that Bolt currently dominates Nigeria’s ride-hailing market, while InDrive has also gained a significant share.
Another Facebook user, Yetunde Onigbogi, expressed surprise over the announcement, saying, “So Uber is leaving Nigeria effective from today. Na wa o. Things are not just rosy in the country.”
Amaka Theodora also questioned the decision, writing, “Uber has left Nigeria today, but what could have been the problem, because Nigeria is a very big market? I wish them all the best.”
For some users, the announcement came as a personal shock.
Nnennaya’s Diary wrote, “Got this from Uber. Is Uber really leaving Nigeria? We’re cooked!”
Similarly, Gold Chinaza Emewulu described the development as “the saddest email” she had received in a while, revealing that Uber had been a major logistics partner for her business since 2024.
She wrote, “Uber leaving Nigeria today is the saddest email I have received in a while. Uber is my business major logistics company and has actively worked with us since 2024. I’m so sad. Nigeria, why?”
The reactions highlight the wider impact of Uber’s departure on Nigerians and businesses that have incorporated the platform into their daily transportation and logistics activities.
Uber, which entered the Nigerian market through Lagos in 2014, had since expanded its presence and become one of the recognisable names in the country’s growing ride-hailing sector.
The company has apologised to customers for the disruption its departure may cause and advised users with final account-related enquiries to contact it before September 23, 2026, the deadline for such enquiries.
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