The Lagos State Council’s Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has urged drivers using the Bolt and inDrive platforms to stop using them due to worries regarding tariffs, commissions, welfare, and growing operational costs.
Bolt, however, has suggested a roundtable conversation with AUATON and driver representatives early next week and has called for positive communication with the union, stating that it is dedicated to resolving drivers’ issues.
The union accused ride-hailing services of failing to sufficiently take into account the financial realities faced by drivers and declared that the planned industrial action would last indefinitely unless its demands were met.
In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Steven Iwindoye, AUATON said drivers had repeatedly raised concerns about fare structures, platform commissions, welfare provisions, and inadequate protection against arbitrary deactivation but had yet to see meaningful change.
According to the union, drivers bear the costs of fuel, vehicle maintenance, tyres, insurance, data, vehicle financing and depreciation, leaving many struggling to earn sustainable incomes.
In response, Bolt said in a statement issued yesterday that it recognised the economic pressures facing drivers and the need to maintain a sustainable environment in which they could earn and operate successfully.
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The company said it had noted AUATON’s concerns regarding driver earnings, operating costs, platform charges, transparency and welfare, adding that it continued to review ways to improve the driver experience and strengthen existing support mechanisms.
Head of Regulatory and Policy, Africa at Bolt, Weyinmi Aghadiuno, said the company took the concerns seriously and believed dialogue offered the best route to resolving the dispute.
“Drivers are central to the ride-hailing ecosystem, and we recognise the economic realities they are navigating. We take the concerns being raised seriously and believe the best way forward is through constructive, open and solution-oriented engagement,” Aghadiuno said.
She said the company would focus on listening to drivers, understanding their concerns and identifying practical measures to improve their experience while ensuring that ride-hailing services remained safe, reliable and accessible.
Bolt said it was committed to engaging AUATON and driver representatives in a roundtable discussion early next week to exchange views and explore areas of collaboration.
The company also urged drivers to continue providing services to passengers while discussions were underway, expressing confidence that open communication and mutual understanding could help strengthen relationships between drivers and the platforms.
“We believe meaningful progress is best achieved through open communication, mutual understanding and solutions that consider the interests of drivers, passengers and the wider mobility ecosystem,” the company said.
AUATON, meanwhile, called on the Lagos State Government, relevant federal authorities and labour institutions to intervene in the dispute, warning that the industry could not remain sustainable if drivers providing the vehicles, labour and other operational resources were pushed into financial hardship.
“Technology must empower workers, not become a tool for modern-day economic exploitation,” the union said.
The union added that it was exploring alternative arrangements that would prioritise drivers’ economic interests, transparency, accountability and independence.
It urged affected drivers to remain united, disciplined and peaceful during the planned action, describing the shutdown as a statement on the value of their labour and the need for improved conditions.
The proposed shutdown could disrupt ride-hailing services in Lagos if drivers participate in significant numbers.
Its impact will depend partly on whether the planned engagement between Bolt, AUATON and driver representatives produces progress before or during the industrial action.
While Bolt has publicly expressed its willingness to engage the union, the position of inDrive on the planned shutdown and the specific demands raised by AUATON were not included in the statements available for this report.
