And Uber is doing a lot of explanations, a lot. The adage, “meet halfway” does not work here.
Nigeria and Uganda, two of the largest economics of Uber in Africa, are met with a devastating news when Uber today announced that it is ceasing operations in those areas.
Drivers and passengers were left hopeless and abandoned mid-trip.
In an event known as “Uber rapture,” an email was sent to those markets alongside.
For instance, the email to Nigerian users went like, “We are writing to share some difficult news. After a thorough review of our business, we have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria, effective [now].”
Uber’s presence in Africa is signficant. In fact, there is a dedicated official Uber page from the official website intended for Uber South Africa. So, this exit is interesting.
It’s alright for Uber to exit some of its key markets, since global economics works that way. It’s not constant.
However, it’s the drivers who were caught off-guard that are complaining of this sudden decision.
A Nigerian journalist, Anita Eboigbe, who is connected with Uber drivers, wrote, “The Uber rapture is wild! Drivers and riders were mid-trip when it happened. Insane!”
What’s worse. Some of the drivers received the email while at work, so they had to end the trip, and the passenger inside had to find another means of transportation.
Another stated, sharing what passengers experienced,saying, “[a] friend of mine said they were on a ride when they got the message. She told the driver and he said ‘it’s a lie!’ The drivers who depend on it for livelihood had absolutely no idea.”
Should Uber totally shut down its operations in the African continent, there are still other ridesharing apps that the people can use, such as Hitch, Rently, and inDrive, but of course, Uber is among the most credible.
“The app shut down mid-trip,” another account located in Nigeria explained in a comment on X, formerly Twitter. “They never gave a heads-up or hinted at them leaving the landscape. I had done a delivery that same morning and about an hour later, we all got emails saying they were leaving immediately.”
Uber has been operating in Nigeria since 2014, and in Uganda since 2016, sometimes even older than how Uber operates in other cities.
“This decision is limited strictly to these two markets and does not impact our operations across the rest of the continent,” the rideshare company explained in a statement shared with RSF. “Uber remains deeply committed to sub-Saharan Africa, where we continue to see robust growth and long-term opportunity.”
Goodbye for now in these destinations! For more ridesharing news, keep it locked right here on RSF. Open your account to read more news, and to participate in the discussions. RSF will continue to investigate on these matters! Thank you for reading!