Like the saying, monkey dey work, baboon dey chop, e-hailing drivers have accused app owners of subjecting them to dehumanising work conditions.
They lamented that while the app owners live largely, they are left in perpetual penury, starving and living in shanties. They toil hard, sometimes working 24 hours a day, to cover the costs of operation.
After months of complaints and calls for a review, some platform drivers shut down operations yesterday as workers worldwide celebrated May Day to protest what they described as ‘poor working conditions and anti-labour practices’.
The Lagos chapter of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) had last weekend threatened that its members would stay off the apps on International Workers’ Day to demand fair compensation, safer working conditions and respect for their rights.
The protest targeted longstanding issues, including poor wages, sudden and unjust deactivations, insecurity and unsafe working environments.
The drivers are also challenging excessive commission charges, absence of proper rider identification, mandatory facial recognition systems and other policies they describe as exploitative.
The strike caused widespread disruptions in mobility across Lagos. Many commuters who depend on ride-hailing apps for convenience and last-mile movement experienced delays or incurred high costs from alternative transport providers such as LAGRIDE and Lagos taxi operators.
The union believed the May Day action would send a strong message to the companies that drivers are united and prepared to assert their rights.
The members lamented that the ride-hailing service providers deduct 25 per cent as commission from every ride while paying no attention to reducing the cost of operations.
An Uber driver, Biola Adeoye, told The Guardian: “I stay awake in the night; spend money to fuel my car, face danger on the roads. But because a company provides the app, they take 25 per cent from me.”
When asked about his expectations from the app operator, he said: “They should either allow us to determine the price or reduce the percentage they take. We have families to feed, vehicles to fix and medical care to pay. They should consider us and treat us fairly. We are not asking for too much.”
Chairman, Amalgamated Union Of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Lagos State Chapter, Azeez Jaiyesimi, said: “E-hailing apps should take more than five per cent. E-hailing apps are cheating us. They do not recognise that we make them solid, their cash cow. We buy the cars and fuel, we are the driver, our drivers get killed and robbed and they determine the amount we charge.
“We called on them to carry us along before adding any driver to their platform to stem incessant allegations that our members are committing murders but all they care about is the money they make.
“We lamented and wrote letters over the cost of auto parts, but they did not pay attention to our complaints. If they fail to listen to us after our one-day warning, we will leave the platforms and negotiate with a new operator.”
When The Guardian contacted Bolt Nigeria’s General Manager in Nigeria, Osi Oguah, ahead of the protest, he said: “We are aware of the planned 24-hour strike by some ride-hailing drivers in Lagos scheduled for May 1, 2025. At Bolt, we deeply value the contributions of our driver-partners, who are at the heart of our platform.
“We recognise the concerns raised around fares, commissions and overall working conditions. These are important matters and we remain committed to finding sustainable ways to address them. Our goal has always been to create a platform that is fair, transparent and beneficial for all stakeholders.
“We are actively working to engage with driver representatives to better understand their needs and explore viable solutions through open and constructive dialogue.”
Uber’s Operations and Logistic Manager in West Africa, Efunlola Hughes, did not respond to the WhatsApp messages. Calls made to her number did not connect.
