Uber Technologies Inc. is shutting down its operations in Nigeria and Uganda, ending more than a decade in both markets as the ride-hailing company cuts about 3,300 jobs and shifts investment toward autonomous mobility.
The exits take effect Wednesday, September 2. Uber launched in Nigeria in 2014 and Uganda in 2016, meaning the withdrawals end 12 years of operations in Nigeria and 10 years in Uganda.
Uber said the decisions reflect changing business priorities and investment focus, rather than a broader retreat from Sub-Saharan Africa. The company will continue operating in Kenya, South Africa and Ghana.
The moves further reduce Uber’s African footprint after it suspended operations in Tanzania in 2022, following regulatory changes that affected fares and commissions. The company has therefore exited or suspended operations in three African markets while maintaining operations in three others.
Globally, Uber is eliminating about 3,300 positions, or roughly 10% of its workforce, in its biggest job reduction since the pandemic. Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said the company’s rapid expansion had created layers of management and organisational complexity that slowed decision-making.
The restructuring will flatten the company’s corporate structure and reduce fully remote roles, with savings redirected toward growth and innovation. Autonomous transportation is a major focus. Uber plans to invest more than $10 billion in robotaxis over the coming years through partnerships with companies developing self-driving technology.
The strategy positions Uber for a transportation market in which human drivers could increasingly compete with autonomous fleets. Rather than owning most of those vehicles, Uber wants its platform to connect riders with robotaxi operators.
In Nigeria, the departure is particularly significant. Uber has operated in the country since 2014 and its exit opens more room for competitors and local mobility companies to capture riders and drivers.
The company has not identified regulatory disputes as the reason for leaving Nigeria, despite recent disagreements with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria over airport pick-up operations.
Uber’s latest restructuring signals a shift away from the rapid geographic expansion that defined much of its first decade toward a more concentrated strategy focused on efficiency, profitability and the emerging autonomous mobility market.