inDrive woos Uber drivers as it reaffirms commitment to Nigeria

Ride-hailing company inDrive has assured Nigerians of its long-term commitment to the country, days after rival Uber announced its exit from the Nigerian market.

The company, in a statement issued on Thursday in Lagos, said Nigeria remained one of its key African markets and that it had continued to record year-on-year growth in its active user base.

It also invited drivers and mobility investors affected by Uber’s departure to join its platform and continue providing transportation services to passengers across the country.

inDrive currently operates in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Ibadan, Owerri and Enugu, among other locations, and said its business model was designed to suit emerging markets where affordability remains a major consideration for consumers.

The company said it charges a service fee of about 10 per cent, while passengers and drivers negotiate the final fare directly.

Unlike conventional ride-hailing platforms that rely on algorithms to determine fares, inDrive said it does not use algorithms to set ride prices, giving drivers and passengers greater control over the cost of each trip.

The company said its Nigerian operations had expanded beyond its core ride-hailing service to include Economy and Courier offerings.

It added that recent products such as Comfort, One Click and TukTuk were introduced to improve service quality, simplify the user experience and provide more accessible transportation options.

While acknowledging that Uber’s exit came as a surprise, inDrive said it had always welcomed competition because it encouraged improvements in products and services.

The company said it had already invested substantially in Nigeria and would continue investing in safety, technology, service quality and local communities.

It also disclosed plans to develop solutions for mobility investors and fleet owners, allowing them to deploy their vehicles commercially and create additional income through the platform.

inDrive said the expansion of its services would create more flexible earning opportunities for drivers while ensuring that passengers continued to have access to affordable and reliable transportation.

The company’s statement followed Uber’s decision to discontinue its operations in Nigeria, a move that has created an opportunity for rival ride-hailing platforms to attract affected drivers and customers.