Uber’s exit from Nigeria on 2 September 2026 has left drivers who rely on the platform facing a fresh financial squeeze, with those who bought or financed vehicles specifically for Uber now worried about how they will keep earning and meet their repayment obligations. The disruption is particularly significant for drivers using vehicles financed through mobility fintech Moove, which has had a commercial relationship with Uber.
Uber ended its 12-year operation in Nigeria on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, alongside its withdrawal from Uganda, after reviewing its business priorities and investment focus across Africa. The company said the decision was limited to the two countries and that it remained committed to its wider Sub-Saharan African operations.
The impact is already being felt by drivers whose livelihoods and vehicle purchases were built around the platform.
TechCabal, reporting on 2 September 2026, spoke to several Uber drivers who described the announcement as a major financial shock. David, a driver who said he had spent about a decade on Uber, told the publication: “The reason I bought this car was to use it as an Uber ride.” He said the exit would affect his income.
Peggy Oyibo, a Port Harcourt-based driver, also told TechCabal: “This is all I do to put food on my table.” Her husband, Oyibo, separately questioned how the family would cope with the loss of income.
The concerns extend to drivers who obtained vehicles through financing arrangements. Moove has provided vehicle financing to drivers, including arrangements connected to Uber, creating a new question over how affected borrowers will maintain repayments now that Uber is no longer operating in Nigeria.
The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATON) said affected drivers would have to move to competing platforms, particularly Bolt and inDrive. Its Public Relations Officer, Steven Iwindoye, said the transition would come at a difficult time because drivers were already dealing with high fuel, maintenance and other operating costs.
“Now they have to migrate officially to Bolt and inDrive,” Iwindoye told The PUNCH.
For drivers, however, moving to another platform may not immediately replace the business they built on Uber. TechCabal reported that some drivers considered Uber a major source of demand and were uncertain about how quickly they could rebuild their income elsewhere.
Uber said active drivers would receive a one-off discretionary goodwill payment during the transition, according to information reported by TechCabal.
The exit therefore goes beyond the disappearance of one ride-hailing app. For drivers who committed to vehicle purchases, loans and household expenses on the expectation of regular Uber income, it has created an immediate test of whether alternative platforms can provide enough work to keep those financial commitments running.
