Uber exits Nigerian and Ugandan markets

Uber has exited the Nigerian and Ugandan markets following a “thorough review” of its business priorities. The company ended its 12-year operation in Nigeria and its decade-long presence in Uganda on September 2.

This move follows previous exits from Ivory Coast last year and Tanzania in January. The departures appear linked to the increasing difficulty of maintaining sustainable ride-hailing operations in parts of Africa. In Nigeria, economic reforms led by President Bola Tinubu—including the removal of fuel subsidies and changes to the naira’s exchange rate—have significantly increased costs for petrol, vehicle maintenance, and imported spare parts.

These rising expenses have squeezed driver incomes, leading to tensions such as a three-day strike in Lagos and Ogun in March by drivers from Uber, Bolt, and inDrive over unsustainable fares and working conditions.