Ride-hailing drivers in Lagos are escalating their fight against Uber, Bolt, inDrive, and Lagride, announcing a planned petition to the state assembly and threatening to abandon global apps for homegrown alternatives after a disruptive May Day strike.
The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria, which led a 24-hour strike on May 1, said in a statement on Friday to PUNCH Online that drivers would escalate action by picketing the offices of the companies if there is no intervention.
About 5,000 drivers in Africa’s largest city logged off their apps for 24 hours, snarling ride-hailing services in a coordinated protest led by AUATON’s Lagos State Council under Comrade Jaiyesimi Olalabi.
The action, timed with International Workers’ Day, spotlighted long-simmering grievances such as commissions as high as 30 per cent, fares that barely cover costs, and rising insecurity.
“If app companies fail to comply, we shall massively move to new indigenous app companies who are ready and willing to comply with drivers’ demands,” said the union’s Lagos PRO, Steven Iwindoye. “Currently, we have three on the ground, while the drivers’ community is building one for itself.”
The union’s national arm has already lodged a petition with Nigeria’s National Assembly, and the Lagos chapter plans to submit its own to the state legislature. Next up is picketing the offices of Uber, Bolt, and others to “bring our demands to their doorsteps,” the union said.
At the heart of the dispute is what drivers call exploitative practices by app companies. AUATON is pushing for commissions to be slashed to 5 per cent, unrestricted fare-setting, inclusion in corporate decision-making, and better safety for drivers and riders.
In a bold move, the union is threatening to abandon global platforms for indigenous apps if demands go unmet. Three local alternatives are already operational, and drivers are developing their ownplatform.
“Enough of this exploitation by app sharks,” the union declared.
The standoff comes as Nigeria’s gig economy grapples with rising costs and shrinking margins for drivers, who face soaring fuel prices and maintenance expenses. AUATON’s campaign, now rallying families and communities, could set a precedent for gig workers across the continent.
“We won’t stop until we win,” the union said. With petitions in motion and protests looming, Lagos’s drivers are betting their collective clout can force change or reshape the industry entirely.
