The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has decried the non-fulfilment of commitments by LagRide and Choice International Group Motors Ltd.

The Public Relations Officer, AUATON, Lagos Chapter, Steven Iwindoye, said this in a statement in Lagos.

Iwindoye said that after undergoing a mandatory four-day training programme, most commitments made during the period had not been honoured.

He said app-based transporters could not make consistent progress as the LagRide app had failed to function optimally.

Iwindoye said the drivers were faced with persistent frustrations and operational challenges across various parts of Lagos State.

“Captains in areas such as Ikorodu, Badagry; Igando; Abule Egba; Alagbado; Epe and other outskirts are often unable to receive trip requests, especially in the mornings or even during the day, unless they relocate to the Island, Ikeja, or central parts of Lagos.

“Many commuters in these areas have already turned to alternative modes of transportation, due to the inefficiencies that have existed since the service’s inception.

“It is deeply concerning that a project of this scale was launched without comprehensive market research, advertisement, or visibility studies.

“The ongoing struggles suggest a lack of understanding of the gig economy and the realities of the e-hailing industry.

“Instead of addressing these systemic issues, undue blame continues to be placed on hardworking captains, who are striving to meet asset repayment obligations and support their families.

“Expecting captains to remain exclusively on the LagRide app without receiving trip requests for hours while providing no incentives or meaningful improvements, is unsustainable,” he said.

Iwindoye noted that Promised features such as daily remittance visibility and in-app asset repayment tracking remained unfulfilled.

He said the app’s limited visibility across Lagos had compounded issues, hence, urging the team to initiate a comprehensive, state-wide public awareness and advertising campaign.

According to him, without this, low user engagement will persist, not due to lack of interest, but due to inadequate reach and public awareness.

He said the captains had borne the costs of vehicle repairs, maintenance, and insurance for over two years, despite having paid these fees to Ibile Holdings.

Iwindoye said in the event of accidents, there had been no access to the insurance they consistently paid for.

“We are also concerned about the app’s current data and user policy framework, which seems to reflect principles of China’s Cybersecurity Law.

“This approach mandates extensive identity collection and surveillance practices that do not align with Nigeria’s labour and data protection standards.

“As a sovereign nation, Nigeria is governed by the NIMC Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, which provide distinct legal protections.

“Enforcing foreign data frameworks on Nigerian workers constitutes a breach of our sovereignty and undermines our national legal structures.

“We respectfully call on the CIG and LagRide management to review and revise the app’s data and user policy to reflect Nigerian Labour laws and data protection regulations, not foreign cybersecurity policies incompatible with our national framework.

“The management should ensure that the LagRide app operates efficiently across all regions of Lagos, and launch a sustained and robust advertising campaign to improve service visibility and adoption,” he said.

He enjoined LagRide management to implement previously promised incentives to the drivers, to encourage continued participation and improve service delivery.

He urged that there should be full transparency and access to insurance, vehicle maintenance, and asset repayment tracking through the app.

“We respectfully call on LagRide management to immediately switch to daily payments as originally agreed, instead of the current twice-weekly disbursements, which violate the agreement made with the NLC/AUATON.

“Given the gravity of these issues, we strongly recommend a collaborative return to the drawing board.

“Let us redesign this initiative together, to truly serve the needs of both captains and the broader public, ensuring the long-term sustainability and success of the LagRide scheme,” Iwindoye said.