Drivers under the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) are set to bring ride-hailing services across Lagos to a standstill on May 1, as part of a coordinated protest against what they describe as exploitative practices and systemic neglect by major app-based transport companies, including Uber, Bolt, inDrive, Rida, and Lagride.
The union, in a statement released Tuesday by its Lagos Public Relations Officer, Steven Iwindoye, announced a 24-hour service suspension as a show of defiance and solidarity on International Workers’ Day, a global occasion traditionally used to spotlight workers’ rights.
“We’ve pursued dialogue. We’ve submitted proposals. But time and again, our appeals for justice have been met with indifference,” Iwindoye stated. “On May 1, our silence ends. By stepping off the apps, we are stepping into our power.”
The protest, described by AUATON as the first phase of a broader nationwide campaign, targets a range of longstanding grievances, including:
- Unfair driver deactivations without recourse
- Exorbitant commission rates imposed by platforms
- Weak passenger identity verification protocols
- Faulty and discriminatory facial recognition systems
- Rampant insecurity and high-risk working conditions
- Opaque policies and unsustainable compensation structures
AUATON said that drivers—many of whom face daily dangers on Lagos roads—have become “digital labourers trapped in a cycle of precarity,” while the companies they work under rake in profits without sufficient accountability or protections in place.
“We are not invisible,” Iwindoye declared. “We are essential. We transport Lagos. We deserve fair pay, safe conditions, and a voice in how we are governed by these platforms.”
Despite multiple attempts to initiate structured dialogue, the union claims that app-based companies have failed to engage meaningfully, opting instead to operate without transparency or regard for the well-being of drivers.
In response, AUATON is mobilizing alliances across civil society, labour unions, and media platforms, positioning the protest as part of a larger movement for justice in the gig economy.
“This is more than a local protest—it is a rallying cry for digital workers everywhere,” the union’s statement added. “From Lagos to London, San Francisco to Nairobi, drivers and gig workers are rising up. The gig economy must work for the people powering it—not just the platforms profiting from it.”
The protest is expected to significantly disrupt transport services across Lagos, one of Africa’s busiest urban centres, where ride-hailing platforms have become deeply embedded in the daily commute of millions.
AUATON said that following the shutdown, a formal charter of demands will be released, accompanied by a roadmap for negotiations. The union is also calling on international labour rights organisations to monitor and support their efforts.
“This May Day, we don’t just celebrate workers—we amplify them. We stand united in our demand for equity, dignity, and respect,” Iwindoye concluded.
With the digital gig economy at a crossroads, the Lagos protest may well serve as a watershed moment—not just for Nigeria, but for app-based workers across the globe seeking a fairer future.
