“I lost 4 cars in 8 years driving for Uber” – drivers union leader Comrade Ayoade shares story

In 2014, Uber became the first company to launch an e-hailing service in the Nigerian market. The company sold the idea of making the driving gig a convenient and profitable income stream for all, especially people who owned cars.

Owing to the economic realities and high unemployment, the new gig work became the real deal. Young and old Nigerians swarmed the platform to make their daily bread.

Comrade Ibrahim Ayoade is one of those.

The founding Secretary of Nigeria’s e-hailing drivers’ union (AUATON) joined Uber in 2016 after losing his job at Coca-Cola following a restructuring. In a bid to support his young family, he hopped into the new cab driving profession.

“I needed a way to support my family. A friend named Oti, who was already driving for Uber, introduced me to the platform, and I decided to give it a try in 2016/2017. The flexibility of choosing my working hours, combined with the potential for decent earnings, was very appealing,” the comrade said in a chat with Technext.

He recalled the registration process at the time: stringent and nothing like the loose system of today. He noted that he made three attempts and underwent several tests before he was accepted.

Even then, he was invited for a training.

“I took the tests at the Ikeja Mall, where there was a small office located behind the Lagos Fire Station on Governor Road. After passing the tests, Uber invited me for training in Lekki, Lagos Island. The program lasted about two weeks, and it was thorough, unlike the current process, which largely involves inspections and immediate driving,” he explained.

Uber driving: from a great start to losing 4 cars

In the early days, e-hailing companies offered exclusive taxi services for premium fees. And, Uber was the most bespoke. At that time, demand was higher, drivers made impressive earnings and could operate at leisure. They also enjoyed bonuses, incentives and other benefits.

However, things began to change as new e-hailing apps entered the market. This was compounded by Nigeria’s worsening economic situation and the attendant mass unemployment.

Consequently, more people drivers signed and saturated the market.

Also, the demand for premium taxi services began to drop, forcing app companies to reduce fare prices while enduring a drop in revenue. With more people thronging into the business and revenue thinning out, earnings began to drop, leaving many drivers feeling empty.

For Ayoade, things became worse when Uber announced policies that affected drivers negatively. That signalled the start of an inevitable decline:

“At first, my experience was positive. Demand was high, and earnings were satisfactory. I enjoyed the freedom of being my own boss and the opportunity to meet new people daily. However, competition began to increase as more drivers joined the platform, leading to a decline in earnings. Things took a turn for the worse around 2020 when Uber introduced new policies that negatively impacted drivers’ incentives and benefits,” he said.

While working with Uber, Comrade Ibrahim Ayoade faced significant setbacks. But none was as painful as losing four cars at different points and circumstances.

“Two cars were taken by drivers who sold them without my knowledge and travelled abroad; I have not seen those cars since. Another was damaged in an accident, while a fourth was locked in a Lekki flood. The last car suffered engine failure due to wear and tear,” he explained.

Sadly, Uber’s insurance coverage was not enough to replace them.

“Unfortunately, Uber’s insurance coverage was not comprehensive enough to cover all of these losses, and I could not afford to replace the cars on my own,” the comrade said.

On forming the e-hailing drivers’ union

Ayoade Ibrahim was one of the first drivers to organise other drivers into a union.

At that time, drivers had various WhatsApp groups to share information and updates. As such, there were numerous groups on WhatsApp. Ibrahim Ayoade recognised that despite being fragmented, these groups shared common goals and interests.

This led to the creation of the National Union of Professional App-Based Transport Workers (NUPA-BTW). The group was driven by the need for better working conditions for drivers. The union’s first battle followed Uber’s 40% income slash for drivers without consulting them.

“I took the initiative to organise my fellow drivers through WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook, highlighting the necessity of having a collective union to represent our interests. Having been a unionist at Coca-Cola, I was motivated to form a union for the e-hailing community. After seven years of struggle, I am grateful to say that we now have a recognised union. My experiences with Uber, particularly the challenges and frustrations, fueled my involvement with NUPA-BTW,” he explained.

The NUPA-BTW would later join forces with two other driver organisations to fight for government approval of an e-hailing drivers’ union.

They include the Professional E-hailing Drivers and Private Owners Association of Nigeria (PEDPAN) and the National Coalition of Ride-Sharing Partners (NACORP). Together, they became the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON).

The union would go on to affiliate itself with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and, by January of 2023, was formally approved by the Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. 

Despite prevalent challenges, the union has since fought for better working conditions for Nigerian app drivers.

Yet, Comrade Ayoade believes there is still work to be done.

“While we have made progress, we still have work to do for our members. Many drivers and I recognised the importance of collective bargaining power to negotiate with companies like Uber for improved policies and benefits,” he said.

See also: Uber, Bolt drivers get government-approved union in Nigeria, first in Africa

Looking forward

With eight years in the business, Comrade Ayoade believes he has come a long way.

"After eight years with Uber, I would summarise my experience as a mix of highs and lows. The flexibility and opportunities Uber provided were significant advantages; however, the declining earnings, lack of support in times of need, and policy changes that favoured the company over drivers were major drawbacks," he said.

But what could be done to improve the situation if not outrightly turn things around? To improve the experience for drivers, the Comrade believes Uber could consider revising its policies to offer better incentives and protections for drivers.

This, according to him, might include comprehensive insurance coverage, guaranteed minimum earnings during both peak and off-peak hours, and a transparent rating system.

“Additionally, providing more support for drivers facing challenges, such as vehicle repairs or replacements, could significantly enhance the overall experience. Ultimately, Uber should actively engage with our union and maintain integrity and compliance in addressing the current challenges we face,” he concluded.