The Lagos State Assembly has summoned ride-hailing giants Uber, Bolt, and inDrive to address pressing issues affecting the sector.
According to Steven Iwindoye, spokesperson of the Amalgamation of Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), the companies are set to appear before the Assembly to shed light on various concerns impacting the gig economy in the state and country.
Techparley understands that the development is one of the Assembly’s efforts to provide oversight and ensure the industry operates smoothly.
Back Story
The recent summon by the Lagos State Assembly is the latest development in a growing controversy surrounding the industry.
Earlier in May 2025, the Union filed a petition with the National Assembly, accusing global ride-hailing platforms Uber, Bolt, and InDrive of systemic corporate violence, worker misclassification, and neglect of drivers’ rights and safety.
The union alleged that thousands of Nigerian app-based drivers are subjected to precarious working conditions, including violent attacks, exploitative policies, and denial of labour rights.
AUATON’s National President, Damola Adeniran, in the petition, also criticized the tech giants for failing to implement adequate safety measures and exploiting regulatory gaps in Nigeria’s labour classification system.
What the Petition says
- Driver Profiling and Passenger Safety: The union demands the improvement of driver profiling and the enhancement of passenger safety on the platforms.
- Unilateral Pricing Policies: The transporters accuse the apps of enforcing pricing algorithms without prior discussion with drivers.
- Commission Discrepancy: AUATON states that the companies undermine their income under the pretext of a deduction of standard 25 per cent commission, which contradicts the significantly high deduction they experience.
- Suppression of Union Rights: The union accuses the companies of breaching the Nigerian and International Labour Laws, which permit the engagement of workers to collectively bargain for their interests.
- Lack of Welfare Support: The union reports the absence of a well-structured welfare or support system, which exposes them to financial vulnerability and occupational hazards.
Union Demands
The union is pushing for a new regulatory framework to protect the rights of workers in the transportation sector.
According to the union, this guiding policy is necessary to ensure that workers are treated fairly and have access to benefits and job security.
Beyond policy framework, the union is also demanding full workers’ status for transporters, which would grant them benefits and job security, rather than being classified as independent contractors.
Meanwhile, to address the pressing issues affecting the sector, AUATON has called for a stakeholder conference gathering that would would provide a platform for discussions and collaboration among industry stakeholders, policymakers, and workers to find solutions to the challenges facing the transportation sector.
