App-based transport drivers in Lagos have warned that they may abandon international ride-hailing platforms like Uber, Bolt, inDrive, and Lagride if their demands for fair compensation and safer working conditions are not met.
The Public Relations Officer of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Lagos Council, Mr. Steven Iwindoye, issued the warning in a statement on Friday.
Iwindoye said the drivers are pushing for reduced commission rates to five percent, along with the recognition of drivers’ rights and improved welfare. He criticized the current platforms for prioritizing profits over the wellbeing of their drivers.
“If these companies fail to comply, we will move en masse to indigenous app firms willing to meet our demands,” he said. “Three such apps are already operational. Additionally, our community is developing its own platform to end exploitation and modern-day slavery.”
The union recently marked May Day with a 24-hour strike, part of a global protest against low fares and poor working conditions. According to Iwindoye, this action signals a new era of resistance among Nigerian ride-hailing drivers.
He noted that the union has submitted a formal petition to the National Assembly and plans to petition the Lagos State House of Assembly as well.
“We’ll soon announce a picketing date to take our demands directly to these app companies,” he added. “All relevant authorities, including the government, will feel our impact.”
The May 1 strike targeted major platforms globally and highlighted the growing unrest among transport workers in the gig economy.
