Nigeria’s Antitrust Agency Probes Uber’s Exit From Country

Nigeria’s antitrust commission said it is probing Uber Technologies Inc.’s abrupt exit from the West African nation, after the ride-hailing platform shut down last week without prior notice to users.

Officials at the Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission are “looking into the manner of their exit, particularly in respect of unfulfilled services to the customers,” FCCPC Chief Executive Officer Tunji Bello said in a text message.

Uber shut down its services in Nigeria and Uganda on Wednesday as part of a global review of its operations that also cut 3,300 jobs, or about 10% of its workforce. The decision wasn’t communicated to Nigerian users ahead of time, causing confusion for riders and drivers.

A spokesperson for Uber did not respond to a request for comment sent by email on Sunday.

No specific reason was given for Uber’s decision to exit Africa’s most populous nation of more than 200 million people, where double-digit inflation in the past decade has eroded purchasing power and pushed millions of people into poverty. The US company launched in Lagos in 2014, but since then other ride firms have been established, including Estonia-based Bolt, cutting into Uber’s once-dominant market share.