Uber has discontinued its ride hailing services in Nigeria and Uganda, ending a 12 year presence in the Nigerian market as the global company begins a major restructuring that will see about 3,300 employees lose their jobs worldwide.
The ride hailing company confirmed that its operations in both countries were wound down on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, following a review of its business priorities and investment strategy.
The decision means Nigerian riders and drivers who relied exclusively on Uber must now turn to other platforms, while Uber for Business customers in the country will also lose access to the service. Brandspur Brand News understands that the company has not disclosed the number of Nigerian employees, drivers or riders directly affected.
Uber said its decision was limited to Nigeria and Uganda and would not affect its other operations across Africa. The company said it would work with affected employees, drivers, riders and business partners during the transition.
For riders, customer support will remain available for 21 days after the shutdown to handle outstanding issues and transition-related enquiries. Uber also said customers’ personal information would continue to be protected under applicable data protection and privacy requirements, with data retention limited to information it is legally required to keep.
The company said active drivers in the affected markets had also been contacted and would receive a token of appreciation as they transition away from the platform.
Uber’s exit comes alongside a global workforce reduction affecting roughly 10 per cent of its employees. Chief executive officer Dara Khosrowshahi announced the restructuring in an internal communication, with the company also planning to reduce its management workforce by about 20 per cent.
Uber said the changes were intended to concentrate investment on markets where it sees the strongest opportunities to create value for drivers and provide mobility services at scale. It maintained that Sub Saharan Africa remains an important region with long term growth potential.
The Nigerian shutdown is also significant for the country’s increasingly competitive ride hailing industry. With Uber gone, major alternatives available to consumers include Bolt, LagRide and inDrive, while some drivers who previously worked across multiple platforms may now have to adjust their operations.
Drivers who depended primarily on Uber could face a more immediate transition as they seek opportunities on competing platforms or consider leaving the ride hailing business altogether.
Uber’s departure is not linked to the recent controversy surrounding e hailing services at Nigerian airports, according to the company. It said the decision followed its own assessment of changing business priorities and where it wanted to direct investment across Africa.
The timing nevertheless comes amid recent uncertainty around airport ride hailing services. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had been engaging operators over their activities at airports under its management, later confirming that Bolt could resume services after a temporary interruption. Discussions with other operators, including Uber, were ongoing at the time.
Uber launched its Nigerian operations in Lagos in 2014. Its exit therefore marks the end of more than a decade of providing app based transportation services to Nigerians.
The company has previously withdrawn from other international markets, including China and several Southeast Asian countries, as part of broader changes to its global operations and strategy.
