The Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned five major ride-hailing companies, Uber, Bolt, Indrive, Rida, and LagRide, to appear for a public hearing following a petition by drivers accusing the platforms of unsafe practices, unfair pricing, and suppression of labour rights.
This was disclosed in a statement issued Monday by the Public Relations Officer of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Lagos Chapter, Mr. Steven Iwindoye.
The union’s chairman, Mr. Azeez Jaiyesimi, confirmed that the hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
“The Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned Uber, Bolt, Indrive, Rida, and LagRide to appear for a public hearing… to address the growing unrest in the ride-hailing sector and create a framework for safer, fairer, and more accountable operations in the Nigerian gig economy,” said Jaiyesimi.
Petition against ride-hailing platforms
The union filed a public petition titled “Public Petition Against Uber, Bolt, Indrive, Rida, and LagRide for Non-Compliance with the National Collective Agreement and Corporate Negligence, Resulting in the Victimisation of App-Based Transport Workers in Nigeria.”
The petition alleges regulatory non-compliance, labour rights violations, and systematic neglect by the companies, which AUATON says continue to endanger the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Lagos-based drivers.
Issues raised by the union
The petition outlines several grievances, including:
- Driver profiling and inadequate passenger safety measures
- Unilateral pricing decisions by companies without driver input
- Lack of welfare and emergency support for drivers
- Unjust commission structures that reduce driver earnings
- Suppression of union activities and refusal to implement collective bargaining agreements
What you should know
The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has been at the forefront of calls for a federal regulatory framework to oversee Nigeria’s e-hailing industry, citing unfair state regulations, rising insecurity, and unsustainable operating conditions for drivers.
- According to AUATON, over 26 states currently impose independent regulations, many of which disproportionately affect e-hailing drivers working under platforms like Uber, Bolt, Indrive, and LagRide.
- Earlier in 2024, AUATON pushed for a single federal law that would govern the sector and ensure that all stakeholders, including drivers, app companies, and passengers, are adequately protected. The union argues that the current fragmented system leads to multiple taxation and poor driver welfare, while also exposing workers to kidnapping and violence due to the absence of passenger profiling.
- The union also raised concerns about the poor performance of the Lagos State-backed LagRide platform. Drivers say they rarely get trip requests in suburbs like Ikorodu and Epe, making it hard to earn a living. Many of the promised app features, like daily payment tracking and insurance support, are still unavailable.
AUATON is also pushing back against the app’s data policies, which it says follow foreign laws that conflict with Nigeria’s own data protection standards. The union is demanding immediate fixes, including daily payments, working insurance coverage, and improved trip access, especially in underserved areas.
