Uber abruptly halts its services in Nigeria and Uganda, leaving drivers without income

As of September 2, 2026, Uber abruptly ceased operations in Nigeria and Uganda, leaving numerous drivers without an essential source of income and interrupting rides that were already underway. The company did not provide a detailed explanation, citing only a “change in priorities.” The multinational provided transportation services in Nigeria since 2014, and in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, since 2016. The platform had become popular in major cities, being used daily by passengers and drivers.

Users were informed through a simple email sent on the very day of the withdrawal. Many did not see the message before the app became unavailable, while some notifications ended up in the spam folder, where they appeared to be promotional messages. The decision caused confusion and outrage in both countries. In Lagos, Uber had also launched a water transport service in 2019, intended to help avoid traffic jams. The company said the decision was made following an assessment of its operations, but provided no further reasons or details about the impact on drivers.