Ride-hailing company inDrive has reaffirmed its commitment to driver welfare, insisting it still charges the lowest commission in Nigeria's e-hailing industry, in the wake of a strike by app-based transport drivers in Lagos organised by the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON).

According to a statement by Country Director Timothy Oladimeji seen by Technext, the company said it has noted with concern the ongoing conversation around ride-hailing fares, driver welfare, and commission fees in the sector. It added that it remains committed to supporting drivers through low service fees, improved earning opportunities, welfare partnerships and sustained engagement with its driver community.

The reaction follows a now-viral video in which a driver was seen asking the company to leave Nigeria if it could not guarantee improved, sustainable earnings for its drivers. The AUATON-led protest, staged under the banner "We are not slaves," asked Bolt and inDrive to raise fares or leave the country.

The standoff turns on the two levers that shape e-hailing driver earnings — the fares riders pay and the commission platforms deduct — and, in this case, drivers and the companies are focused on different ones.

But inDrive says it is already offering the lowest commission in the country, a decision it described as a cushion against the impact of the current economic situation.

"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," the Country Director said.

The company added that its approach to maximising driver earnings and welfare extends beyond lower commission fees. Through its Comfort module, drivers with eligible vehicles manufactured from 2008 onwards can benefit from a 30 per cent fare increase on qualifying trips.

"This provides additional earning opportunities for drivers while giving passengers access to more mobility options," Oladimeji said.

Welfare partnerships and safety engagement

Beyond its low commission and earning initiatives, inDrive said it is currently working to improve drivers' access to healthcare and insurance-related services through partnerships with Heala and MyCover. According to the company, these initiatives reflect its commitment to addressing drivers' broader welfare needs and creating a more supportive experience on the platform.

Despite these interventions, the company expressed the belief that open communication and collaboration are essential to building a safer and more trusted mobility ecosystem — a point it said was brought to the fore at its third Safety Summit, held recently in Abuja.

inDrive said it would continue to listen to drivers, engage relevant stakeholders and use feedback to improve its services, noting that sustainable progress in the mobility sector requires shared responsibility, transparent communication, and solutions that reflect the realities of drivers and passengers.

"We will continue to maintain a low service fee, develop initiatives that support driver earnings and welfare, and invest in safety and service improvements. Our goal is to build a mobility ecosystem that creates meaningful opportunities for drivers while providing passengers with accessible and reliable transportation options," Oladimeji said.

It is worth noting, however, that beyond commissions, drivers also decry the low fares on inDrive. Their primary demand is an increase in fares, which is a more direct and more impactful determinant of how much they earn. That demand carries particular weight for inDrive, whose app allows passengers to propose the fare they are willing to pay, with drivers free to accept or decline — a pricing model that sets it apart from rivals such as Bolt, which sets fares within its own app.