The company ends 12 years in Nigeria and a decade in Uganda but maintains operations in Kenya, Egypt, Ghana and South Africa amid a global restructuring that includes 3,300 job cuts

Uber ended its ride-hailing operations in Nigeria and Uganda on September 2, concluding a 12-year presence in Nigeria and approximately a decade of operations in Uganda.

The company said the decision followed a comprehensive review of its business priorities and where it intends to focus investment across Africa. It did not identify a single reason for withdrawing from the two markets.

Uber stressed that the decision was limited to Nigeria and Uganda and did not represent a withdrawal from Africa. It remains operational in markets including Kenya, Egypt, Ghana and South Africa and said it would support drivers, passengers and local team members during the transition.

Uber entered Nigeria through Lagos in 2014 before expanding to other cities. It launched in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, in June 2016.

The company did not disclose how many drivers, users or employees would be affected. Its Nigerian help centre will remain available until September 23 to address outstanding account-related matters.

A Large but Highly Competitive Market

Uber did not formally attribute its departure to economic or regulatory conditions. Local reports, however, linked its difficulties in Nigeria to higher fuel prices, inflation, currency volatility, rising operating costs and intense competition from Bolt, inDrive and LagRide.

Pressure on drivers increased after Nigeria removed its petrol subsidy in 2023, while disputes over fares and platform commissions fuelled repeated protests.

Nigeria’s Guardian estimated the country’s ride-hailing market at approximately $450 million in 2025.

Olabisi Onabanjo University economics professor Sheriffdeen Tella said Uber’s departure could affect employment but would have a limited impact on gross domestic product because most drivers would move to competing platforms.

Bolt said it had no plans to leave Nigeria and continued to see significant opportunities in the market. Drivers’ unions called for dialogue over the future of digital mobility and workers’ rights, while criticising Uber for departing without sufficient consultation or a detailed transition plan.

In Uganda, the withdrawal gives more room to competitors including Bolt, SafeBoda, Faras and Yango, which offer car and motorcycle services in a highly price-sensitive market.

Four African Exits in Less Than a Year

The departure from Nigeria and Uganda follows Uber’s withdrawal from Côte d’Ivoire in late 2025 after around six years and its exit from Tanzania on January 30, 2026, following years of regulatory disputes over fares and commissions.

Uber has therefore left four African markets in less than a year, although it maintains that the retrenchment represents a reallocation of investment rather than an abandonment of the continent.

3,300 Jobs Cut

The African exits coincided with Uber’s announcement that it would eliminate approximately 3,300 jobs, equivalent to 10% of its global workforce, in its largest round of cuts since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the restructuring was intended to reduce management layers, consolidate teams and accelerate decision-making. He said the changes concerned how the company was organised and what it prioritised, rather than employees’ individual contributions.

Unlike several technology companies, Uber did not attribute the layoffs directly to artificial intelligence.

Betting on Driverless Vehicles

Uber plans to commit more than $10 billion to autonomous-vehicle partnerships and related investments over the coming years as it seeks to defend its position against robotaxi companies such as Waymo and Tesla.

Under its current strategy, Uber does not intend to manufacture autonomous vehicles itself. It aims instead to turn its application into a marketplace connecting passengers with driverless vehicles operated by different technology companies.

The simultaneous withdrawal from four African markets, reduction of its workforce and expansion of autonomous-transport investment point to a shift in priorities: concentrating resources on markets and products capable of delivering growth at scale while reducing exposure to environments marked by high operating costs, intense competition and restrictive regulation.