Nigeria: Abuja E-Hailing Drivers Struggle As Fuel Costs, Platform Charges Rise

What the report says

E-hailing drivers in Abuja are reporting growing pressure on their incomes as fuel prices, vehicle upkeep and platform commissions continue to rise, according to Daily Trust via AllAfrica. The report focuses on drivers using services such as Bolt and inDrive, who say operating costs are now eating into earnings and making it harder to sustain their work. The piece was published on 29 October 2026 and is based in Abuja.

Drivers told the newspaper that they must cover fuel, repairs, spare parts and other expenses themselves, often after spending long hours on the road. One inDrive driver said he had switched his car to compressed natural gas to lower costs, but said the change had not fully solved the problem. A Bolt driver, speaking anonymously, said higher petrol prices were affecting maintenance and profitability, and claimed the platform’s commission cut was still too high.

The report also describes knock-on effects for passengers. Some riders said fares were higher or that drivers tried to renegotiate prices after bookings were made, while others said they had returned to public transport because app-based rides had become too expensive. At the same time, some passengers still valued app safety features such as driver details and trip tracking.

The article adds broader context about driver safety concerns, account suspensions and the legal status of app-based workers as independent contractors. It also notes that the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria offers drivers a collective platform, while a lawyer quoted in the story urged drivers to read their contracts carefully. Bolt and inDrive had not responded to the outlet’s requests for comment at the time of publication.