Uber to Shut Down Operations in Nigeria and Uganda From September 2

• Uber announced it will exit Nigeria and Uganda on September 2 as part of a broader global restructuring
• The ride-hailing company plans to cut roughly 3,300 jobs, about 10% of its total global workforce
• Uber said it remains committed to Sub-Saharan Africa and that other markets on the continent will not be affected

Uber will cease operations in Nigeria and Uganda from 2 September, the company confirmed, citing shifting business priorities and a revised investment focus across its African operations.

The announcement came alongside the company's largest round of job cuts since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Uber plans to eliminate approximately 3,300 positions, representing around 10% of its global workforce of roughly 34,000 employees recorded at the end of 2025.

Despite the withdrawal from the two markets, Uber stressed that its commitment to Sub-Saharan Africa remains intact, and that operations in other countries on the continent will continue unaffected.

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Business Insider reported that the company said the decision reflects where it sees the greatest potential for growth and value creation, rather than a loss of confidence in the wider region.

Nigeria ranks among Africa's largest ride-hailing markets and has been a significant hub for app-based mobility services since Uber entered the country. The departure marks a notable shift in the competitive landscape for both drivers and passengers who have relied on the platform.

Uber's exit from Nigeria follows a recent dispute with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria over airport pick-up arrangements, with discussions between e-hailing operators and FAAN centring on safety, accountability and security concerns. Uber has not cited the FAAN disagreement as a factor in its decision to leave, and the dispute is best understood as operating context rather than a confirmed cause of the withdrawal.

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The restructuring is designed to flatten Uber's corporate hierarchy, reduce the number of management layers and redirect capital towards areas the company considers more strategically important, including ride-sharing, delivery and autonomous vehicles.

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Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi acknowledged that Uber's rapid expansion over the past five years had introduced organisational complexity that slowed decision-making. Under the new structure, the number of employees positioned seven or more reporting layers below the CEO will fall by 20%, while teams with only one or two direct reports will be reduced by nearly half. Fully remote roles will also be scaled back to approximately 1% of the workforce.

Uber intends to channel the savings from these cuts into innovation and growth, with autonomous mobility at the centre of its long-term strategy. The company plans to invest more than $10 billion in robotaxi technology over the coming years, positioning its platform as a marketplace for driverless rides rather than a fleet operator.

The move comes as competition in the autonomous vehicle space intensifies, with Waymo expanding its services independently and Tesla pushing further into driverless transportation. For Uber, investing in robotaxi infrastructure represents an attempt to stay relevant in an industry that could significantly diminish the role of human drivers and reshape the economics of ride-hailing.

Source: YEN.com.gh