ABUJA, Nigeria — 3 September 2026: Uber has stopped ride-hailing operations in Nigeria and Uganda, ending service in two of its long-running African markets from Wednesday, 2 September. The company attributed the decision to a review of its business priorities but did not publish a country-by-country financial or regulatory explanation.
Uber said it discontinued operations in both countries from 2 September 2026 after reviewing its business. The decision applies to Nigeria and Uganda, not every African market. Nigerian users can still contact the company’s help centre until 23 September about unresolved account matters.
What Uber confirmed
Reuters reported that Uber told Nigerian customers it had made the decision after a review and would wind down from 2 September. The company began operating in Lagos in 2014 and later expanded into other Nigerian cities.
An Uber spokesperson subsequently confirmed that service had also stopped in Uganda. Riders trying to book there on Thursday were shown that no cars were available, according to the Reuters account.
Uganda’s Daily Monitor reported the same two-country exit, describing the change as a major shift for drivers and passengers in Greater Kampala. Uber entered Uganda in 2016, two years after its Nigerian launch.
Uber said the withdrawal was limited to Nigeria and Uganda. It did not announce a continent-wide shutdown, so claims that the platform has left Africa entirely are incorrect.
What riders and drivers should do now
The immediate practical change is that customers can no longer request new Uber trips in the affected markets. Drivers also cannot depend on the app for new bookings there.
In Nigeria, Uber said its help centre would remain available until 23 September for outstanding account questions. Users with unresolved receipts, account access issues or other matters should use the company’s official support channels before that date. Uber did not disclose how many riders, drivers or employees were affected.
TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS
Uber Exits Nigeria and Uganda After Business Review
Sep 3, 2026
Sep 3, 2026
4 min read
Published
Updated:
ABUJA, Nigeria — 3 September 2026: Uber has stopped ride-hailing operations in Nigeria and Uganda, ending service in two of its long-running African markets from Wednesday, 2 September. The company attributed the decision to a review of its business priorities but did not publish a country-by-country financial or regulatory explanation.
Uber said it discontinued operations in both countries from 2 September 2026 after reviewing its business. The decision applies to Nigeria and Uganda, not every African market. Nigerian users can still contact the company’s help centre until 23 September about unresolved account matters.
What Uber confirmed
Reuters reported that Uber told Nigerian customers it had made the decision after a review and would wind down from 2 September. The company began operating in Lagos in 2014 and later expanded into other Nigerian cities.
An Uber spokesperson subsequently confirmed that service had also stopped in Uganda. Riders trying to book there on Thursday were shown that no cars were available, according to the Reuters account.
Uganda’s Daily Monitor reported the same two-country exit, describing the change as a major shift for drivers and passengers in Greater Kampala. Uber entered Uganda in 2016, two years after its Nigerian launch.
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Uber said the withdrawal was limited to Nigeria and Uganda. It did not announce a continent-wide shutdown, so claims that the platform has left Africa entirely are incorrect.
What riders and drivers should do now
The immediate practical change is that customers can no longer request new Uber trips in the affected markets. Drivers also cannot depend on the app for new bookings there.
In Nigeria, Uber said its help centre would remain available until 23 September for outstanding account questions. Users with unresolved receipts, account access issues or other matters should use the company’s official support channels before that date. Uber did not disclose how many riders, drivers or employees were affected.
The company’s exit does not remove ride-hailing from either market. Other app-based and conventional transport services remain available, although prices, coverage, safety tools and driver rules vary. Riders should verify the provider shown in an official app and confirm the vehicle and driver details before travelling.
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For Nigerian commuters, the closure arrives as transport costs remain a major public concern. XTRAfrica’s separate report on Nigeria’s effort to reduce transport fares through CNG vehicles explains a government programme, but it does not guarantee a uniform fare reduction or replace the services Uber has ended.
The company gave no detailed local reason
Uber’s notice cited a business review. It did not identify one regulation, dispute or economic indicator as the decisive cause of the Nigeria and Uganda exits.
BusinessDay’s report discusses inflation, fuel costs, currency pressure, competition and previous regulatory disputes elsewhere in Africa as relevant market conditions. Those factors provide context, but they should not be presented as Uber’s confirmed explanation for these two withdrawals.
The exit coincided with a wider corporate reorganisation. In a 2 September message to employees, chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said Uber would reduce its global workforce by about 10%, simplify management layers and refine its location strategy. The public memo did not specifically say the workforce decision caused the closures in Nigeria and Uganda.
Uber for Business is also being discontinued in the affected markets, according to reporting based on the company’s customer communication.
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A narrower African footprint
The two closures reduce Uber’s direct African footprint after earlier exits from Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire. The company continues to operate in other African countries, including Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt and Morocco, according to current market reporting.
That distinction matters because the search surge around “Uber leaves Nigeria” quickly produced broader claims about the company abandoning the continent. The confirmed development is narrower: two national operations have ended following a review, while other country businesses remain active.
For drivers, the next material information would be any country-specific settlement, account or support guidance. For riders, the key issue is whether Uber publishes a final data-access or support notice before the Nigerian help-centre window closes on 23 September.
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