BREAKING: Uber shuts down Nigeria operations after 12 years, cuts 3,300 jobs

Global ride-hailing company Uber has announced plans to stop its operations in Nigeria and Uganda, effective Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

The company said the decision followed a thorough review of its business operations and investment priorities. It stressed that the decision is limited to Nigeria and Uganda and will not affect its operations in other African countries.

“After a thorough review, we have taken the difficult decision to wind down operations in Nigeria and Uganda, effective September 2, 2026,” Uber said in a statement.

Uber said its immediate priority is to support drivers, riders and local employees affected by the decision.

The company’s exit from the two countries comes alongside a global restructuring exercise that will see about 3,300 employees, representing roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, lose their jobs.

Uber Chief Executive Officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, announced the global job cuts in an internal email on Wednesday.

According to the email, the restructuring will reduce the number of managers across the company by about 20 per cent. Some employees currently working in management positions will move into individual contributor roles.

Uber exits Nigeria after 12 years

Uber began its operations in Nigeria in 2014, starting with Lagos. Its exit means the company is leaving the Nigerian market after about 12 years of providing ride-hailing services.

The company said it is focusing its investments on markets where it believes it can create greater value for drivers by providing earning opportunities on a large scale while allowing riders to move around easily.

Uber said it remains committed to Sub-Saharan Africa, describing the region as having strong growth potential and long-term opportunities.

The company said it is communicating directly with affected employees, drivers and riders about the impact of the decision.

For its Nigerian employees, Uber said it would provide support during the transition and communicate details of the arrangements directly to them.

The company also said it had contacted active drivers to offer them “a token of our appreciation” following the discontinuation of its services.

Uber did not disclose the exact number of employees, drivers or riders affected in Nigeria and Uganda.

Rider support to continue for 21 days

Uber said its rider support services would remain available for 21 days after operations end.

The support will be used to handle outstanding complaints, questions and other issues arising from the shutdown.

The company also assured riders that their personal information would continue to be protected in line with data protection laws and its privacy policies.

Uber said it would only retain data that it is legally required to keep and would continue to meet its legal obligations concerning privacy and valid data requests.

The shutdown will also affect companies using Uber for Business in Nigeria and Uganda.

Uber said its corporate services in both countries would be discontinued as part of the wider exit and that it was engaging affected business partners.

Exit not linked to FAAN directive

Uber also clarified that its decision to leave Nigeria was not caused by the recent directive involving e-hailing services at Nigerian airports.

When asked whether its exit was connected to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) directive, Uber said no.

The company explained that the decision was based on a review of its changing business priorities and where it wants to invest across Africa.

The announcement comes shortly after uncertainty surrounding the operations of ride-hailing companies at Nigerian airports.

FAAN had earlier denied reports that Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing companies had been banned from operating at Nigerian airports.

The agency later announced that Bolt had been cleared to resume e-hailing services at FAAN-managed airports after a temporary disruption.

At the time, FAAN said it was still engaging other operators, including Uber, and expected discussions to be concluded soon.

Fewer ride-hailing options for Nigerians

Uber’s departure will reduce the number of major ride-hailing platforms available to Nigerians.

The major alternatives now include Bolt, LagRide and inDrive.

The development could reduce the choices available to both drivers and passengers who often compare prices and availability across different platforms before booking rides.

Drivers who relied solely on Uber will now have to consider joining other ride-hailing platforms or leaving the business.

Uber’s departure also marks the end of more than a decade of its presence in Nigeria’s growing ride-hailing industry.