Uber Exits Nigeria and Uganda Amid Strategic Restructuring

Uber has ceased its operations in Nigeria and Uganda effective September 2, 2026. The company stated that the decision followed a thorough business review. This move follows previous exits from Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire, leaving Uber with operations in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, and Morocco. The withdrawal is part of a broader corporate restructuring that includes cutting approximately 10 percent of its corporate workforce to redirect capital toward autonomous vehicles.

Reports indicate the shutdown was abrupt. Some users in Nigeria reported that the service ceased while rides were still in progress. Uber sent notices to customers and drivers on the day of the closure, promising a one-off goodwill payment to active drivers to ease the transition. In Uganda, the company stated it would keep in-app support available for 21 days to resolve outstanding issues.

Economic pressures in Nigeria contributed to the challenging environment. The removal of the fuel subsidy and the depreciation of the naira increased costs for petrol, vehicle maintenance, and imported spare parts. Drivers had previously protested that fares and commissions did not cover these rising operating costs. Despite these challenges, the market remains large, with an estimated three million gig workers in Nigeria, nearly a quarter of whom work in ride-hailing.

Competitors are expected to absorb the market share. In Nigeria, Bolt currently holds a significant portion of the market, while inDrive offers a flexible fare negotiation model. Local services like LagRide are expanding their fleets through drive-to-own programs. In Uganda, rivals include Bolt, Faras, Yango, and SafeBoda, the latter of which controls more than a third of the local ride-hailing market.

Both sources, which share a center lean, agree on the facts of the exit and the economic pressures involved. However, they differ in their framing of the event. One center-leaning report frames the exit as a strategic portfolio triage to focus on high-scale markets. The other center-leaning report frames the exit as an abrupt abandonment of drivers and passengers, describing the event as an Uber rapture.