Uber has announced the withdrawal of its ride-hailing services from Nigeria and Uganda, bringing its operations in both countries to an end effective Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The company said the decision followed a comprehensive review of its business priorities and investment strategy across Africa, adding that it would redirect resources towards markets where it believes it can create earning opportunities for drivers at greater scale while making transportation services more accessible to riders.
In a statement shared with Techpoint Africa, an Uber spokesperson described the decision as difficult but said the company had concluded that discontinuing operations in Nigeria and Uganda was necessary as part of its broader strategy.
“After a thorough review, we have taken the difficult decision to wind down operations in Nigeria and Uganda, effective September 2, 2026,” the spokesperson said.
The withdrawal marks a significant development in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive ride-hailing sector, where Uber has operated for years and built a substantial customer and driver base.
Uber, however, stressed that the decision was limited to the two countries and would not affect its operations in its other African markets.
The company said its immediate focus would be on managing the transition and providing support to drivers, riders and local employees affected by the shutdown.
Uber said it would continue communicating with affected stakeholders regarding the arrangements surrounding the cessation of its services. It also stated that rider support would remain available for 21 days after the shutdown to address outstanding enquiries and other matters arising from the transition.
The company did not provide detailed information on the number of drivers, riders or employees directly affected by the decision in either Nigeria or Uganda.
Uber also moved to clarify that its departure from Nigeria was not linked to a recent directive issued by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria concerning e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports.
The company said the decision was instead the result of its broader assessment of its business priorities and investment strategy across the African continent.
The clarification is significant because airport-related restrictions on ride-hailing services had recently generated discussions among transport operators, technology companies and users of app-based transportation services.
Uber’s statement, however, separated the shutdown from that development, maintaining that its decision was based on its strategic review.
As part of its exit arrangements, Uber said it would continue handling users’ personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, privacy requirements and its internal data protection policies.
The company said data would be retained only for as long as required by law and that appropriate security controls would remain in place throughout the process.
The assurance is expected to be relevant to both riders and drivers who may have concerns about what will happen to information associated with their accounts following the closure of operations.
Uber said it would continue meeting its legal obligations regarding data security and privacy as it winds down its activities in the two markets.
Uber’s exit from Nigeria and Uganda is not the company’s first withdrawal from an African market in recent years.
The company stopped operating in Tanzania in February 2026, while it exited Ivory Coast in 2025 after six years of operations.
The latest departures further reduce Uber’s footprint across Africa, with the company now continuing its operations in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, according to Techpoint Africa.
The pattern of withdrawals indicates a strategic effort by the company to concentrate its resources in selected markets rather than maintain operations across a wider number of African countries.
Despite leaving Nigeria and Uganda, Uber said it remains committed to Sub-Saharan Africa and continues to see long-term opportunities in the region.
The company’s decision therefore appears to represent a restructuring of its African presence rather than a complete withdrawal from the continent.
Uber’s exit is likely to generate significant discussion within Nigeria’s transport and technology sectors, particularly among drivers and riders who have relied on the platform for mobility and income opportunities.
For drivers, the closure means the loss of access to Uber’s platform and its network of riders, potentially forcing affected operators to seek opportunities through competing ride-hailing services or other forms of commercial transportation.
For riders, the withdrawal means one fewer major international ride-hailing platform operating in the Nigerian market. The impact could be particularly noticeable in cities where app-based transportation has become an important component of urban mobility.
Uber has not indicated that it plans to reconsider the decision, but its statement that it remains committed to Sub-Saharan Africa leaves open the possibility of continued investment in selected markets where it sees stronger opportunities for sustainable growth.
For now, however, the company’s years-long presence in Nigeria has come to an end, as Uber shifts its African investment strategy towards markets it believes can deliver greater scale for drivers and easier access to transportation for riders.
