Ride-hailing company inDrive has confirmed its long-term commitment to the Nigerian market, insisting that it is in the country to stay. The disclosure, made in response to a Technext query, came just hours after one of the company's largest competitors, Uber, shut down its operations in Nigeria, ending roughly 12 years of operations in the country and leaving drivers and fleet partners to consider alternative platforms.

Responding to Uber's shutdown, inDrive said the decision came as a surprise, noting that Uber has been a strong and significant competitor. The company said it has always welcomed competition because competition drives it to continuously improve its products and services for the benefit of its users. Its continued investments in improving services, it added, demonstrate that it is in Nigeria for the long haul and is not going anywhere.

"We confirm our long-term commitment to Nigeria. Nigeria is a key market for us in Africa, and we have consistently grown our active user base year on year. We currently operate in major cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Ibadan, Owerri, and Enugu, reflecting the depth and breadth of our presence across the country. Our business model enables us to operate effectively in emerging markets, where affordability is an important consideration for consumers," the company said.

Reiterating its model, inDrive said it charges one of the lowest service fees in the market, at around 10 per cent, while the final ride price is determined directly between the driver and the passenger. According to the company, this model gives both parties greater control and enables them to agree on a price that works for them. The offer-based pricing approach contrasts with the algorithm-driven pricing used by platforms such as Uber and Bolt, and positions inDrive around affordability — a factor that has been central to competition in Nigeria's price-sensitive ride-hailing market.

"Unlike traditional ride-hailing platforms, we do not use algorithms to set ride prices."

Read also: How pricing, competition forced Uber's shutdown in Nigeria after 12 years

inDrive is not abandoning its significant investments in Nigeria

The company further noted that its commitment to Nigeria extends beyond its core ride-hailing service, having established a broad local offering that includes its Economy and Courier services. inDrive said it will continue to expand its platform to address the evolving needs of Nigerian users and drivers, pointing out that it recently launched a Comfort category to further improve service quality.

The company also launched One Click to make the user experience more seamless, and TukTuk to address micro-mobility needs and provide more accessible transportation options.

"We have already made significant investments in the Nigerian market and remain committed to further investing in service quality, safety, technology, and local communities to create long-term value for Nigerians. We are also developing solutions for mobility investors and fleet owners, helping them put their vehicles to productive use and create additional earning opportunities through the inDrive platform," the company said.

inDrive also welcomed drivers and mobility investors who may be affected by Uber's exit to join its platform and continue serving passengers across Nigeria. With Uber gone, Bolt and inDrive remain the major international ride-hailing options for Nigerian passengers, and how the displaced drivers, fleet owners such as Moove-financed operators, and riders redistribute across the remaining platforms will shape the competitive landscape in the months ahead.

"Our goal is to provide drivers with flexible earning opportunities while ensuring passengers continue to have access to affordable, reliable and increasingly diverse mobility services," the company said.

Read also: Following Uber Nigeria's exit, Moove permits drivers to operate on Bolt and inDrive