By Ghazali Ibrahim
As Uber’s exit from Nigeria continues to generate reactions, a passenger has highlighted some of the challenges within the country’s ride-hailing industry, blaming part of the problem on the behaviour of drivers and passengers.
The passenger, identified as Folorunsho Fatai Adisa posted on his Facebook page, sharing insights into the final closure of Uber services in Nigeria.
According to his experience with moving around Lagos using Uber, Bolt and InDrive, he said interactions with drivers exposed widespread practices that undermine trust and the sustainability of ride-hailing businesses.
According to him, one driver disclosed that some Nigerian drivers had abused cancellation policies by accepting trips, waiting for passengers to cancel and repeatedly collecting cancellation fees from platforms.
The driver reportedly said the practice contributed to ride-hailing platforms dropping penalties for cancelled trips in Nigeria.
He also recounted his conversation with a former Bolt driver, who allegedly admitted to underreporting the final fare of trips when traffic caused the price to increase.
For instance, when a trip initially priced at ₦7,000 rose to ₦10,000 because of traffic, the driver allegedly reported to Bolt that the passenger had paid only ₦7,000. He would then receive the ₦3,000 difference from the platform after it credited him following a complaint.
The passenger described the practice as “economic sabotage disguised as hustle.”
He also recounted an encounter with an InDrive driver who, after agreeing to a ₦9,500 fare for a trip from Akoka to Coker, allegedly asked him to cancel the booking on the app and continue the journey offline.
The passenger said he rejected the proposal, citing both ethical and safety concerns.
Reflecting on the experiences, he argued that while poor leadership and weak institutions remain major challenges in Nigeria, citizens must also examine their own conduct.
“We are quick to point fingers. ‘The government has failed,’ we chant. But how do we treat each other?” he asked.
He said Nigerians cannot demand accountability from public officials while normalising dishonesty and fraudulent practices in everyday transactions.
“A nation is not just built by policies. It is built by its people,” he said, stressing that meaningful national development requires both responsible leadership and responsible citizenship.
The passenger’s observations come amid renewed public attention on Nigeria’s ride-hailing sector following Uber’s decision to exit the Nigerian market.
