Ride-hailing company Bolt has reaffirmed its commitment to the Nigerian market following Uber’s decision to discontinue its operations in the country.
Bolt, in a statement on Wednesday, said Nigeria remained an important market for the company and pledged to continue serving its riders and driver partners.
“Nigeria remains an important market for Bolt, and we remain firmly committed to the country. We have built a strong community of riders and driver partners over the years, and our focus is on continuing to serve them while strengthening our operations and creating more opportunities across the market,” said Teddy Appa-Dankyi, Senior General Manager, Bolt West Africa.
The statement comes on the same day Uber announced that it had ended its operations in Nigeria and Uganda, effective Wednesday, September 2, 2026, after reviewing its business priorities and investment strategy across Africa.
Uber said the decision was aimed at redirecting its investments to African markets where it believes it can provide earning opportunities for drivers at scale and make transportation services more accessible to riders.
The company said the withdrawal affected only Nigeria and Uganda and would not impact its operations in its other African markets.
Bolt acknowledged that Uber’s exit and other recent developments in the industry could create uncertainty among stakeholders.
“We recognise that there is understandably some uncertainty following recent developments in the industry,” Appa-Dankyi said.
“However, our focus remains firmly on the long term. We will continue working closely with our drivers, riders, regulators and other partners to contribute to a reliable, accessible and sustainable mobility ecosystem in Nigeria,” he added.
Uber’s exit from Nigeria comes after years of operations in the country and follows its withdrawal from Tanzania in February 2026 and Ivory Coast in 2025.
Following the latest departures, Uber will retain operations in four African countries, namely Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, according to Techpoint Africa.
Uber said it remained committed to Sub-Saharan Africa and continued to see long-term opportunities in the region despite discontinuing its services in Nigeria and Uganda.
The company also said its departure from Nigeria was not related to a recent directive by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria concerning e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports.
Uber said it would provide support to affected drivers, riders and local team members during the transition, while rider support would remain available for 21 days after the shutdown to address outstanding enquiries and other transition-related matters.
