The company said the decision followed a “thorough review” of its business and is limited to the two markets, with no impact on operations elsewhere on the continent. Uber said it will prioritise support for drivers, riders and local employees during the transition, offering a one-off goodwill payment to drivers and keeping rider support available for 21 days. A help centre will remain open for affected users until 23 September to resolve outstanding queries.
The exit coincides with a major global restructuring that will reduce staff by about 10% worldwide, with public reports putting the number of roles cut at over 3,000 and as high as 3,300. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an internal memo the changes are about how the company is organised and what it is prioritising, adding, “This wasn’t a decision we made lightly…not about anyone’s contributions to Uber, which we will always value.” The company also plans to shrink manager counts by 20%, moving some managers into individual contributor roles.
Drivers and riders face immediate disruption. Riders who used Uber for Business in Nigeria and Uganda will lose access as those services are discontinued. The local ride-hailing market will become more concentrated around Bolt and inDrive, while smaller local operators such as LagRide, Rida, Faras and SafeBoda are likely to compete for displaced drivers and customers.
Uber’s withdrawal follows recent exits from other African markets and a pattern of retrenchment globally. The company left Côte d’Ivoire in 2025 and Tanzania earlier in 2026, and has scaled back specific services in other countries where it sees limited economic value. In Nigeria the decision arrives against a backdrop of strained economics for drivers, including high fuel and maintenance costs, complaints over low fares and commission levels, and industrial action earlier in 2026.
Uber says it remains committed to sub-Saharan Africa where it still operates in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, and will engage business partners directly to support the transition. For drivers who relied solely on Uber, the immediate choices are to join other platforms, move to local operators, or leave app-based driving entirely. For the company the move signals a tighter focus on markets where it believes it can deliver scale and clearer returns on investment.
