Uber’s sudden Nigeria exit leaves car loan drivers stranded

Korope drivers face repossession fears after platform’s exit

Nigerian drivers who financed their vehicles through loan schemes tied to Uber now face the threat of defaulting on their repayments, following the ride-hailing company’s abrupt exit from the country, according to a report by Punch.

Uber stopped taking trip requests in Nigeria on September 2, 2026, ending a 12-year run in the market it entered in 2014. The company also closed operations in Uganda on the same day, citing a review of its business priorities and investment focus.

The exit has left thousands of drivers who obtained vehicles through financing schemes exposed, particularly those who borrowed from Moove, a vehicle-financing company in which Uber holds equity. Many of these drivers, popularly known as “Uber Korope” because of the miniature Suzuki cars they drive, are required to make weekly loan repayments over a four-year period.

Under the arrangement, the drivers had been restricted to operating exclusively on the UberGo platform, a condition Moove maintained so it could track verifiable earnings data to underwrite the loans. Drivers had long sought permission to work across other ride-hailing apps to boost their income, but the request was consistently declined.

Following Uber’s withdrawal, Moove has now informed its Nigerian customers that they are free to operate on other platforms such as Bolt and inDrive. However, with rides having grown scarce in the lead-up to Uber’s exit and drivers already struggling to meet their weekly obligations, many now fear falling behind on repayments, risking the repossession of vehicles they depend on for their livelihood.

The development adds to the uncertainty trailing Uber’s sudden departure, which came weeks after the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria temporarily restricted Uber and Bolt from operating at airports under its management, though Uber said its exit was unrelated to that directive.