LAGOS — The Lagos State Council of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has called off its drivers' strike after four days off the road, while urging members to abandon the inDrive platform in favor of locally developed ride-hailing apps.

The move pairs a return to work with continued pressure on the platforms: drivers are being asked to leave one of the country's major ride-hailing apps altogether, not merely to resume trips.

In a statement sent to Technext and signed by State Chairman Comrade Jaiyesimi Azeez, the union described the industrial action as a success and said ending the strike was necessary following an assessment of the situation.

"Following our assessment of the situation, I hereby announce that the ongoing industrial action and shutdown are officially called off, effective immediately. Drivers may resume their normal activities, while remaining attentive to further official union communications," the statement reads.

The chairman also expressed appreciation to the Lagos e-hailing drivers who stood with the movement throughout the four-day industrial action, noting that their sacrifice, solidarity, courage and commitment had demonstrated the power of collective action.

AUATON tells members to discard inDrive

The union also voiced disappointment at inDrive, one of the major ride-hailing apps in the country, over what it described as the nonchalance the company displayed during the strike. According to the statement, inDrive failed to reach out during the industrial action — an inaction the union said demonstrated a lack of respect for the drivers who power its business.

"Despite our collective action and the concerns raised by drivers, inDrive not reached out to AUATON for meaningful engagement. This lack of engagement has deeply disappointed the union and raises serious concerns about the company's willingness to listen to the people who make its business possible. As we move forward, AUATON is encouraging all drivers to reconsider their use of inDrive and uninstall the inDrive app on their phones," the statement reads.

In inDrive's place, the union encouraged drivers to explore and download local apps endorsed by AUATON in Lagos, naming MyKab, Randbax and SimpliRide. The union said the shift would give Nigerians credible alternatives while offering the local platforms an opportunity to demonstrate that they can provide a better, more sustainable experience for drivers.

The uninstall call ties the union's membership to the fortunes of the three locally developed apps and makes driver adoption — not union statements — the measure of how much the four-day action changes the competitive landscape. Whether riders follow the drivers is the other half of that equation.

Bolt sought dialogue before the shutdown

The strike began on Monday, October 12. Ahead of it, Bolt, the other major e-hailing app, announced that it was ready to dialogue with the drivers' union to avert an industrial action in its largest operating city in Nigeria.

The company said it had noted the concerns raised by the Lagos State Council of AUATON regarding driver earnings, operating costs, platform charges, transparency and welfare. Bolt said it recognizes the economic pressures facing drivers and understands the importance of maintaining a sustainable environment in which drivers can continue to earn and operate successfully.

"In this spirit, Bolt is committed to engaging AUATON and driver representatives in a roundtable discussion early next week to listen to their concerns, exchange perspectives and explore practical areas for further collaboration. We approach this engagement in good faith, with a shared interest in a safe, reliable and economically sustainable ride-hailing ecosystem," said Weyinmi Aghadiuno, Bolt's Head of Regulatory and Policy in Africa.

The roundtable was eventually held on Thursday, according to reports — placing the talks within the strike window, with drivers still off the road when the two sides met. What the discussion yields on the earnings, charges, transparency and welfare concerns AUATON raised remains to be seen.

inDrive defends its commission structure

For its part, inDrive said it noted with concern the ongoing conversation around ride-hailing fares, driver welfare and commission fees in the sector, adding that it remains committed to supporting drivers through low service fees, improved earning opportunities, welfare partnerships and sustained engagement with its driver community.

The company, however, stressed that it still offers the lowest commission in the industry.

"We still charge the lowest commission fee in the industry. The decision to offer a reduced commission is intended to cushion the impact of the current economic situation on drivers and enable them to retain a greater share of their earnings," Country Director Timothy Oladimeji said.

The competing statements frame the sector's core dispute: the union's grievances over driver earnings, operating costs, platform charges, transparency and welfare, set against inDrive's position that its low commission is itself the cushion drivers need. Whether inDrive moves from public defense to the direct engagement the union says it has sought is now the open question between the two sides.