FCCPC to probe Uber over unfulfilled services to customers after exit

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is looking into Uber’s abrupt exit from Nigeria, with the regulator focusing on whether the ride-hailing company left behind unfulfilled services and obligations to customers.

FCCPC Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, disclosed the development in a text message to Bloomberg, which reported that the antitrust and consumer protection regulator had begun examining the manner of Uber’s departure from the Nigerian market.

The development comes four days after Uber announced plans to wind down its operations in Nigeria and Uganda, effective Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The company’s exit brought an end to its 12-year presence in Nigeria and reportedly caught some riders and drivers off guard.

What they are saying

Bello said FCCPC officials were examining the circumstances surrounding Uber’s departure, particularly its obligations to customers whose services may not have been completed before the platform shut down.

• Officials at the Commission are “looking into the manner of their exit, particularly in respect of unfulfilled services to the customers,” Bello said in the text message.

Uber did not provide a specific reason for leaving Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. The company entered Lagos in 2014 and once held a dominant position in the country’s ride-hailing market but has since faced growing competition from platforms including Estonia-based Bolt, alongside economic pressures that have affected consumers’ purchasing power and the cost of operating mobility services.

Get up to speed

On September 2, Uber announced in a statement shared with Nairametrics that it had taken the decision to wind down operations in Nigeria and Uganda following what it described as a thorough review of its business.

The company said the decision was limited to the two markets and would not affect its operations elsewhere in Africa, adding that its immediate priority was supporting drivers, riders and local team members through the transition.

• Uber also insisted that its decision to leave Nigeria was not connected to the recent directive by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) concerning e-hailing operations at Nigerian airports.

Asked whether the exit was triggered by the FAAN directive, an Uber spokesperson said the company’s decision followed a review of its evolving business priorities and investment focus across Africa.

• “No,” Uber said when asked whether the FAAN directive influenced its exit, stressing that the decision was unrelated to the airport authority’s intervention.
• The clarification came against the backdrop of recent tensions surrounding the operations of Uber, Bolt and other e-hailing services at Nigerian airports.

FAAN had faced public backlash and complaints from passengers after restrictions on commercial e-hailing pick-ups created concerns over reduced transport options and higher transportation costs at some airports.

The authority later clarified that it had not imposed a blanket ban on e-hailing platforms and said discussions were ongoing with operators to establish a framework addressing passenger safety, security, driver accountability and airport pick-up operations.

What you should know

The FCCPC is Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection regulator, with responsibility for addressing unfair, deceptive and exploitative market practices, investigating complaints and seeking redress where consumer rights have been breached.

The Commission has recently stepped up its intervention in major consumer and competition issues across the country.

In August, an FCCPC investigation suggested possible manipulation of cement prices in Nigeria, prompting the Commission to commence a probe into key players in the sector and demand information relating to pricing, production and other commercial activities.

Earlier in May, the FCCPC and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) renewed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at improving coordination between both regulators, including faster handling of consumer complaints, joint investigations and stronger enforcement.