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Ride-hailing firm Uber has said it will seek dialogue with drivers after a strike by app-based transport operators disrupted ride-hailing services in Lagos, Nigeria.
Transport operators who work with ride-hailing firms, including Uber, Bolt and inDrive, embarked on a strike on Monday to protest rising operating costs, low fares, and difficult working conditions.
The strike, which continued on Tuesday, has disrupted ride availability across Lagos.
Uber, in an email response to Punch, reacted to the strike and disclosed plans to engage in dialogue with transport operators who have logged off their apps in protest.
“Drivers are at the heart of our business, and we remain committed to engaging constructively with them through regular roundtable discussions. Uber operates an incredibly large and dynamic marketplace, but it only works when it works for all users, riders and drivers. Aligning our joint interests is a fundamental principle in how we run our platform,” Uber wrote.
At the start of the strike, the Public Relations Officer of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUABTN), Lagos State chapter, Steven Iwindoye, described the action as a measure to demand urgent reforms, not to punish commuters. Iwindoye also said the union is open to a dialogue.
The union has presented 10 demands, including immediate fare reviews, reduced commission rates, a regulated minimum base fare, improved rider verification, emergency panic buttons, rapid response mechanisms for security threats, and comprehensive insurance coverage for drivers while on duty.
