E-hailing drivers in Lagos State have commenced an indefinite strike over disputes involving fare structures, platform commissions, deductions and welfare conditions in the app-based transport industry.
The industrial action was announced by the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), which said its members would remain off the road until further notice or until satisfactory progress was made towards resolving their grievances.
The union said the decision followed persistent complaints about drivers’ earnings, operational policies, safety, security and working conditions.
It maintained that several concerns raised by drivers and other stakeholders had yet to receive adequate attention.
“Despite repeated efforts by drivers and stakeholders to draw attention to these concerns, many of the issues remain unresolved,” the union said.
The strike is expected to affect commuters who depend on ride-hailing services for daily movement across Lagos, particularly workers, business owners and residents who use app-based transport to avoid the challenges associated with other means of transportation.
Although the full extent of the disruption was not immediately clear, the action could make it more difficult for some passengers to secure rides, depending on the level of participation among drivers operating through different platforms.
AUATON said the decision to suspend operations was intended to draw attention to conditions that it believes have continued to affect drivers’ incomes and the sustainability of their work.
The union’s concerns include how fares are determined, the commissions deducted from trips, other charges imposed on drivers and the financial obligations attached to vehicles provided through fleet owners and managers.
For drivers who work with vehicles owned or managed by fleet partners, daily remittance requirements can remain a major financial obligation even when earnings fluctuate.
The union’s appeal suggests that the strike could also create difficulties for drivers who are expected to meet payment targets while they are unable to operate.
As part of its response to the situation, AUATON called on fleet owners and managers to suspend daily remittance obligations and related operational targets throughout the industrial action.
The union argued that drivers should not be expected to generate their usual revenue while complying with the strike directive.
It also urged fleet partners not to impose penalties on members who withdraw their services.
“We, therefore, appeal to fleet partners to refrain from imposing penalties, sanctions or adverse measures solely on the basis of a driver’s participation in the action, as drivers are not expected to operate during this period,” the notice stated.
The appeal places fleet operators at the centre of the dispute, as the outcome could affect the relationship between drivers and the businesses that provide vehicles for commercial transport.
AUATON also announced plans to deploy its task force across all local government areas in Lagos State to monitor compliance with the strike directive.
The union warned that drivers who continued operating in violation of its instructions could face disciplinary measures under its internal procedures.
The planned monitoring exercise indicates that AUATON intends to enforce the action among its members across the state.
However, the level of compliance and the extent to which drivers working independently or outside the union’s structure would participate remained unclear.
In a related development, reports on the ongoing dispute indicated that drivers operating on Bolt and inDrive platforms were among those affected by the planned shutdown.
Bolt reportedly proposed a meeting with AUATON and driver representatives to discuss the grievances, while a response from inDrive had not been reported at the time of publication.
The outcome of any proposed engagement could influence efforts to resolve the dispute and restore normal operations.
The strike also follows Uber’s withdrawal from the Nigerian market in September 2026, a development that changed the competitive landscape for ride-hailing services in the country.
However, AUATON has maintained that its objective is not to cause unnecessary disruption to businesses or inconvenience passengers.
Instead, the union said it wants the concerns of drivers addressed through discussions that produce lasting improvements in their working conditions.
The union’s Lagos State Chairman, Jaiyesimi Olalabi Azeez, popularly known as Makavelli, signed the strike notice and appealed to fleet partners to cooperate with drivers throughout the industrial action.
