Uber exits Nigeria after 12 years

Uber said on Wednesday it was winding down operations in Nigeria, ending a 12-year run in Africa’s most populous country. Local media outlets published the notice after customers received emails from the company saying services would stop on September 2, 2026. Uber said the decision followed what it described as a “thorough review” and added that the move also covered Uganda, but not its other African markets. Nigeria was one of Uber’s earliest African launches, beginning in Lagos in 2014. ### When did Uber say service would end in Nigeria? September 2, 2026 was the effective date in the notices cited by Nigerian outlets that reported Uber’s shutdown. Daily Post, Vanguard, Nairametrics and other local publications said the company told riders and drivers that operations in Nigeria would end that day. (dailypost.ng) Uber’s Nigeria pages were still accessible on Wednesday, including country, ride and driver sign-up pages, even as reports of the shutdown spread. The company’s Nigeria site still listed service information for cities including Lagos and Abuja when crawled on September 2. ### What exactly did Uber tell riders and drivers? Uber said in statements carried by Nigerian media that it was sharing “difficult news” and apologized for the disruption. (vanguardngr.com) Several reports quoted the company as saying the decision came after a review of its business and investment priorities. (uber.com) September 23, 2026 is the date Uber gave for final account-related support, according to multiple reports. Daily Post and other outlets said Uber told users its help center would remain available until then for unresolved account questions during the wind-down. ### Was Nigeria the only market affected? Uganda was named alongside Nigeria in the company statements reported on Wednesday. (persecondnews.com) Techpoint, ICIR and Nairametrics each said Uber described the decision as limited to those two countries and said its other African operations would continue. Uber has made other African pullbacks in the past year, according to TechCabal and other local reports. (dailypost.ng) TechCabal said Nigeria would be Uber’s third African exit in about a year after Côte d’Ivoire in 2025, while other reports also referenced earlier departures from Tanzania. ### Why had Nigeria become a harder market for ride-hailing companies? (icirnigeria.org) Lagos and other Nigerian cities have been central to Uber’s business there, but local reporting has pointed for years to pressure from regulation, fuel prices, vehicle costs and disputes over fares and commissions. BusinessDay, Leadership and other Nigerian outlets said those issues had weighed on app-based transport operators and drivers. (techcabal.com) Pulse reported on Wednesday that Uber’s exit followed recent disputes involving airport access, referring to a conflict around app-based operators and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Pulse said FAAN later clarified it had not imposed a blanket ban on e-hailing services at airports. ### What does this leave riders and drivers with right now? (businessday.ng) Lagos, Abuja and other Nigerian cities now face an immediate gap for riders and drivers who still relied on Uber’s app. Local reports said users were being pushed to alternative platforms as the shutdown took effect. Nigeria’s ride-hailing market remains active despite Uber’s departure, with local reports naming rivals and local operators already competing for drivers and passengers. (pulse.ng) Those companies were not part of Uber’s statement, but the market shift was immediate because the effective date was Wednesday. (techbooky.com) ### What should customers watch next? September 23, 2026 is the next date Uber gave customers in Nigeria for help-center support on final account issues. Nigerian users seeking refunds, account clarifications or other support were directed by the company’s notice, as reported by local outlets, to resolve those matters before that deadline. (dailypost.ng) (businessday.ng)