Uber fires 3300, exits Nigeria and 1 more market with immediate effect

Uber is taking a step back. After laying off 3,300 employees, the ride-hailing platform is exiting Nigeria and Uganda with immediate effect.Uber is leaving two key markets right after laying off 3,300 workers globally. (Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic) Uber is going through a major global restructuring. The company has confirmed that it has stopped operations in two key African markets – Nigeria and Uganda – with immediate effect. This announcement comes right after the ride-hailing service laid off 3,300 workers, or roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, as part of a wider restructuring plan.Uber said that it had halted operations in Nigeria and Uganda from September 2 after reviewing its business in the two markets. "We have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria,” the company said in a statement.Uber began operating in Nigeria in 2014 and entered Uganda in 2016. Following the latest exits, Uber will continue operating in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.The exit marks another pullback by Uber in Africa after it withdrew from Ivory Coast and Tanzania over the past year. The company said the shutdowns were part of its evolving business priorities and investment focus across Africa, while stressing that it remains committed to sub-Saharan Africa. Previously, reports indicated that Uber had held talks with Rapido over a potential merger of their India operations, but the discussion fell through.Uber leaves two big markets after a decadeUber says that it will support employees and drivers affected by the closures. The company’s help centre would remain open for users in Nigeria and Uganda until 23 September to handle outstanding issues. In Nigeria – Africa’s most populous country – Uber had expanded beyond standard ride-hailing during its time in the market. But the market has become more difficult in recent years. As per reports, drivers have repeatedly complained that fares on the app were too low against rising fuel prices, and that commission charges were too high.Rival platforms such as inDrive and Estonia-based Bolt, along with local operators, also cut into Uber's market share. The country's prolonged inflation has weakened purchasing power, while the removal of Nigeria's fuel subsidy in 2023 pushed up living costs further. In Uganda, reports state that the gap left by Uber's departure will likely be filled by other apps including Faras, Bolt and SafeBoda.The closures were announced as Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi unveiled Uber's biggest workforce reduction since the Covid-19 pandemic. In an email to employees, he said Uber had become more complex over the past five years, with extra management layers and slower decision-making. Uber says that would reinvest the savings in growth, innovation and areas including autonomous mobility and robotaxis.At the same time, Uber has launched London’s first commercial robotaxi service. This service uses autonomous driving tech developed by UK-based startup Wayne. Uber says that these vehicles will have human safety drivers who will monitor the driving.- EndsPublished By: Armaan AgarwalPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 09:01 IST