Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Headies has officially begun preparations for its 18th edition in Toronto, Canada, launching its ‘Road to Toronto’ campaign during a pre-awards media briefing and reception hosted by the Deputy High Commission of Canada in Lagos.

The event brought together stakeholders from the entertainment, media, business, government and creative sectors to discuss the growing global influence of African creativity and opportunities to strengthen business, investment and international partnerships around the continent’s creative economy.

Speaking at the event, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Headies, Ayo Animashaun, said the awards ceremony is evolving beyond music to promote Africa’s broader creative and economic potential.

‘The Headies has always been about celebrating the people and sounds shaping African music. With our return to Toronto under Africa to the World, we are expanding that conversation to explore the wider economic opportunities around African creativity and create stronger connections between creatives, businesses, investors and international markets,’ Animashaun said.

Discussions at the event also focused on the expanding economic ecosystem surrounding Africa’s creative industries, including music, film, fashion, media and technology, as well as the potential to connect businesses in these sectors with new markets and investment opportunities.

Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in Nigeria, Carlos Rojas-Abulu, said African creativity is increasingly becoming a major driver of business growth.

‘From where I sit, at the Deputy High Commissioner for Canada here, there’s another part of that story that is equally interesting, and that is the economic opportunity growing around that success. Behind the music is an entire ecosystem, and some of you know it very well. There are artists, producers, but also managers, technology companies, media platforms, designers, lawyers, investors, and the list goes on. And they are building businesses around African creativity,’ he said.

Rojas-Abulu added that the opportunities extend beyond music into film, fashion, media, technology and the wider creative economy, stressing the need to strengthen businesses, access new markets and deepen partnerships between Canada and Nigeria.

As part of this year’s programme, The Headies will introduce a Trade and Investment Summit in Toronto aimed at connecting culture with commerce. The summit will bring together investors, business leaders, creatives and government stakeholders to explore cross-border opportunities in sectors such as technology, aviation, infrastructure, smart cities and the creative industries.

Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, described the decision to host the awards in Canada as a strategic step toward promoting Nigeria’s creative industry on the global stage.

‘The decision to bring the Headies to Canada under the theme Africa to the World is particularly significant. It represents Nigeria to the world, our music, our culture, our stories, our talents and our gifts to have entrepreneurs. But for us in the Federal Government, this is about more than cultural celebration. It has got to be about economic expansion,’ Musawa said.

Organisers said the Toronto programme also reflects the growing relationship between Nigeria and Canada through their creative industries, businesses and diaspora communities. They noted that the African diaspora in Canada continues to play a vital role in strengthening cultural exchange and expanding opportunities for trade and investment.

According to the organisers, the ‘Road to Toronto’ initiative is designed not only to celebrate African music and culture but also to showcase the businesses, investments and partnerships needed to drive the next phase of growth for Africa’s creative economy.

The 18th edition of The Headies will be held in Toronto, Canada, bringing together leading figures from Africa, Canada and the global African diaspora to celebrate African music, culture and its growing impact on the world stage.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has described Nigeria’s admission as an Association Country of the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a validation of the policy choices and economic reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

Shettima said the development also reflected growing international confidence in Nigeria’s commitment to energy sector reforms and constructive cooperation in the global energy space.

The Vice President spoke on Thursday at the signing of a Joint Work Programme between Nigeria and the Paris-based IEA, formally commencing a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening energy policy, investment and security.

Under the agreement, Nigeria and the IEA will collaborate to develop data for energy policy and investment across the value chain, with particular emphasis on economic growth and energy security.

Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu, Shettima said Nigeria’s formal entry into the IEA fold justified the administration’s policy choices and its drive to harness the country’s abundant energy resources for economic development.

‘Nigeria’s admission as an association country with the IEA is a significant milestone for our country, and it reflects Nigeria’s strategic importance in the global energy landscape and the confidence that the IEA has placed in our commitment to constructive international energy cooperation,’ he said.

Shettima commended the IEA for its role in shaping the global energy landscape and helping countries navigate the challenges of energy security, affordability, sustainability and economic development.

According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said Nigeria stands to benefit substantially from the agency’s expertise and institutional resources as the Tinubu administration seeks to reposition the economy by leveraging the country’s conventional and renewable energy resources.

The Vice President said given Nigeria’s enormous potential, ‘the country will benefit from IEA’s institutional knowledge, the intellectual resources, the reach and expertise to support our nation’s ambitions in this sector.’

He noted that Nigeria was endowed with abundant renewable energy resources, adding that the administration’s efforts to harness available resources and reposition the economy were already producing results across different sectors.

Shettima assured the IEA delegation of the Federal Government’s commitment to working with the agency and other stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the global energy debate, particularly efforts towards achieving a fair and just energy transition.

Earlier, IEA delegation leader Dr Fatih Birol said Nigeria’s admission followed rigorous assessments and consideration by the agency’s governing countries.

Birol explained that the IEA works across the entire energy spectrum, including oil, gas, solar and nuclear power, as well as emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.

He said the organisation works with about 500 leading energy experts to provide policy advice, data and technical expertise, stressing that admission into the IEA family was subject to stringent requirements.

According to him, following extensive discussions with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, the IEA board, comprising governments including the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, unanimously approved Nigeria’s admission.

‘The IEA will accompany the Nigerian energy sector for the next few years to come for a much better energy future. We will provide policy advice from clean cooking to gas markets, from gas markets to training Nigerian experts at the IEA on our own,’ Birol said.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekpo, also attributed Nigeria’s admission to the international recognition of the performance of the Tinubu administration and reforms undertaken since it came into office.

He said the Joint Work Programme would enable the IEA’s technical team to work directly with Nigeria in developing reliable data to guide energy policy and investment decisions across the value chain.

According to the minister, the collaboration is ultimately targeted at stimulating economic growth and strengthening the country’s energy security.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, described the partnership as strategically important to Nigeria, noting that the Nigerian Mission in Paris played a critical role in bringing the process to fruition.

He pledged the commitment of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the ministry to ensuring that Nigeria derives maximum benefits from the partnership.

‘Our role is to ensure that whatever government does at home is projected effectively in advancing and promoting the interest of Nigeria.

‘We take this as a critical component of our national interest and we will not fail in ensuring that we assist, as facilitators and coordinators, in ensuring that the maximum benefit of this endeavour is derived for the benefit of the Nigerian people,’ Enikanolaiye said.

Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said the commission had maintained a relationship with the IEA before Nigeria’s formal admission, including the joint sponsorship of the country’s last National Energy Master Plan.

Abdullahi, however, noted that the previous engagement lacked a formal structure and expressed optimism that Nigeria’s new status and the Joint Work Programme would deepen cooperation between the commission and the global energy agency.

Nigeria’s Rangers International and Rivers United will begin their quest for continental success this weekend as the first preliminary round of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League gets underway across Africa.

The first legs are scheduled for September 4 to 6, with return matches from September 11 to 13. Fifty-eight clubs will contest 29 two-legged ties in the opening round.

NPFL champions Rangers will begin at home against Benin Republic’s SOBEMAP FC before travelling for the second leg.

Should the Flying Antelopes progress, they will meet the winners of the tie between ASN Nigelec of Niger Republic and Algerian giants MC Alger in the second preliminary round.

Rangers return to Africa’s premier club competition hoping to make an impact that reflects the continental history of the Enugu club, whose biggest African triumph remains the 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup.

In a related development, Tunisian giants CS Sfaxien have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first-leg encounter with Shooting Stars Sports Club on Saturday.

The North African side touched down ahead of Saturday’s encounter at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta.

Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm.

Shooting Stars will be seeking a positive home result to strengthen their chances of progressing before travelling for the return leg.

The tie marks the beginning of the Ibadan club’s continental campaign and provides an early test against a side with considerable experience in African club football.

The Oluyole Warriors is returning to the continent for the first time in 27 years and Salisu Yusuf led technical crew will hope to make it count.

Nigeria have four representatives across CAF’s two major club competitions this season, with Shooting Stars and El-Kanemi Warriors competing in the Confederation Cup.

A viral post mocking a graduating student from Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, has sparked an outpouring of support, raising N14 million for him within days.

Madumere Felix Nwachikerendu, who goes by @Felix_the_SUG on X and is popularly known as ‘the Peanut Seller’, became the subject of online jokes on August 31, 2026.

Photos from his final-year project defence were shared by X user @vector_olal with the caption, ‘I just did my final year project defence’, and quickly drew millions of views.

Some commenters criticised his appearance and the fact that he graduated late.

The tone shifted after another X user, Mercy Ninian, said she knew Felix personally and explained what he had gone through at AE-FUNAI.

According to Ninian, the History student battled severe financial challenges throughout his time at school. To stay afloat, she said, he took on menial jobs.

She added that after failing to meet the CGPA requirement and being withdrawn, Felix rewrote JAMB and returned to the university to finish his degree.

Ninian wrote, ‘If you know him, you won’t catch cruise with him. This boy will fetch water, wash other students’ clothes, hawk peanuts, sleep in classrooms… cos he wasn’t able to pay his school fees the first time he got admission and couldn’t meet up with the CGPA… the school withdrew him… still he wrote JAMB and came back. Kudos to Felix fr.’

Others who knew him, including a former roommate, also came forward with similar accounts.

Felix later addressed the post that mocked him.

He said his delayed graduation was not due to a lack of effort.

He wrote, ‘You can laugh at the picture, but you don’t know the story behind it. I didn’t graduate with my set in the History Department in 2023 because I was lazy or unserious, but you chose to mock me. You’re laughing at someone who fell behind but refused to give up.’

The push for support gained momentum when X influencer Wisdom Obi-Dickson, known as Sir Dickson Wizarab, endorsed Ninian’s thread.

He made an initial donation of N100,000 and shared Felix’s account details.

Wizarab wrote, ‘Thank you, Mercy. This is someone we can get behind. I would like us to support him going forward. Today might just be his lucky day. This is his account number, and I’ve sent mine. Raise am.’

Donations came in rapidly. Ninian posted an update that Felix had received over N4 million.

Wizarab urged more people to contribute: ‘He has gotten over N4million. Keep raising it for him.’

By Thursday, the total had crossed N10m and eventually hit N14m.

Wizarab announced, ‘I just want to thank everyone for your kindness and trust. What began as a mockery turned out to be a miracle. Thank you for your continued support. Together we raised the sum of N14m for him. Thank you, thank you, and thank you.’

He said @Skolex5 would help Felix with financial guidance and investment.

Felix thanked donors and promised a formal appreciation video. ‘Thank you so much, sir. I’ll still make a proper video and say a proper thank you,’ he wrote.

He also urged the public to stop spreading false claims about him.

‘This is fake; I wasn’t attacked, and nobody came to my house. I’d appreciate it if you don’t use me or my situation to chase clout. Please, thank you. I wouldn’t want to misinform the public and well-meaning Nigerians. I’m safe, and nobody attacked me,’ he said.

The graduate said he created a sign-out poster as a tribute to his late mother, whom he promised: ‘to never fail, never to do illegal things and never to bring disgrace to.’

He added, ‘Now you reading this post, just be clean and never go against God’s wish. Be good to people. If you don’t see the result now, you will surely see the result later.’

Felix also asked that his story not be used to compete with others online.

‘Stop the comparison. I’m not in any competition with anyone. I don’t know him from anywhere, but looking at how long he’s been here, he’s a great man,’ Felix said.

He added, ‘I’m here cause God wants me to be here and not to compete on who is the highest or whom to choose over another. I’m here cause God wants me to be here and not to compete on who is the highest or whom to choose over another.’

What started as mockery over his appearance has now become a story of perseverance, with public donations giving the AE-FUNAI graduate a new financial footing after years of hawking, laundry work and other odd jobs to complete his education.

SIAT Group, a leading African agro-industrial group and majority shareholder of Presco Plc, has held an event to celebrate its legacy, leadership and the people who have shaped its journey .

The SIAT Forward event, was held under the theme: ‘Legacy, leadership and the future.’

It brought together SIAT’s founding family, retired Directors, Board members,company executives, financial partners and other stakeholders.

The evening was an opportunity to reflect on the group’s history, recognise those who helped build and sustain the business, and celebrate the continuity of a legacy that has evolved across generations, countries and communities.

At the heart of the evening was a celebration of the Vandebeeck family, whose entrepreneurial vision was instrumental in establishing SIAT.

Incorporated under Belgian law in 1991 under the leadership of Pierre Vandebeeck, SIAT’s journey in Africa began with the acquisition of Presco in Nigeria that same year.

The Group subsequently expanded its footprint across the continent, including through the acquisition of Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) in 1995.

Reflecting on the significance of the event, Rasheed Sarumi, Group Chief Executive Officer, Saroafrica International Limited and Chairman, Presco Plc, said ”We are gathered this evening not simply to mark an occasion, but to celebrate a milestone.’

‘For decades, this Group has grown across borders and generations through the vision of the founding family and the dedication of those who came before us and those who have carried that vision forward. Many of you in this room were part of buildingthat story. Today is about saying thank you to those who built it, stayed, served, and to those who continue to carry it forward. We do not stand as something new, but as something continued’.

Speaking on behalf of the founding family, Marie Vandebeeck said: ‘When I think of the legacy of SIAT Group, I don’t first think of hectares and tons of palm oil. I think of people, because ultimately, this business was built over many years. Often, in places where building successful companies requires more than capital and ambition, this is the greatest achievement of SIAT. Above all, you need to believe in the future. This philosophy became the DNA of SIAT, and nowhere is it more visible than in Presco. What Presco became today did not happen overnight. It is the result of decades of persistence, investment and the role of exceptional Nigerian organisations. There was certainly risk and uncertainty; that’s part of the entrepreneurial journey. But there was also a fundamental conviction that it was possible to build a world-class agricultural business in Africa. I am proud of the many talented people who joined this company, stayed, developed and assumed great responsibilities.’

The event also provided an opportunity to look ahead, with Adewale Arikawe, Group Chief Executive Officer, SIAT Group, speaking on the responsibility of the current leadership to build on the foundations established by previous generations. He said: ‘Our responsibility as a team is to take SIAT to the next level – to build something bigger, bolder and more impactful. This is not just a simple vision; it is a call to action. At SIAT, we are fully committed to being an integrated agriculture business, sustainably growing, processing and marketing agricultural resources to create value for our people and shareholders. The Group is growing, and with that growth comes a greater responsibility to our people, our shareholders and all our stakeholders. This is a journey, and our responsibility is to keep building on what has been established, keep growing and make SIAT bigger and stronger.’

The gathering was attended by a cross-section of leaders and stakeholders who have contributed to SIAT’s evolution, including Chief Atedo Peterside, former Board member, Presco Plc; Reji George, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Presco Plc; Felix Nwabuko, former Group Chief Executive Officer, SIAT NV and Institutional Adviser, Presco Plc; among others.

Today, SIAT operates integrated agricultural businesses across Africa, with operations spanning plantation development, cultivation, processing and downstream activities. Through its businesses in Nigeria and Ghana, the Group employs more than 17,000 people and supports thousands of smallholder farmers and rural communities.

National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko has come under fire from a leading football activist for including former Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick in the country’s delegation to FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Tuesday, even as officials moved to deny Pinnick is angling to head the proposed Normalisation Committee.

Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Initiative Chairman Prince Harrison Jalla accused Dikko of undermining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform mandate by bringing Pinnick into the delegation, arguing that immediate past NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and former presidents Aminu Maigari and Sani Lulu Abdullahi were more deserving of a seat on the trip.

‘Stakeholders and Nigeria football followers were stunned yesterday when they saw a former Nigeria Football Federation president, who destroyed Nigeria football for eight years, remote-controlled and misled the Ibrahim Gusau-led board for another four years, in the Nigerian delegation to Zurich,’ Jalla said in a statement, questioning why Gusau, Maigari and Lulu Abdullahi were left out if a former president had to be included at all.

Jalla pressed further on Dikko’s motives, asking: ‘What does Dikko want to achieve? Is it loyalty to a friend and gang leader, or loyalty to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who appointed him as NSC chairman on a platter of gold, and to Nigerians?’ He urged the NSC chairman to test public opinion before proceeding.

‘Dikko should go and gauge the mood of Nigerians on social media about the man he is trying to launder his image,’ he said.

Jalla argued that the diplomatic route was straightforward, noting that a member federation seeking a fresh start could simply write to FIFA to invoke Article 8.2 of the FIFA Statutes and trigger a normalisation process.

He warned Dikko against letting the transition spiral into fresh controversy: ‘Dikko was part of the history that brought our football to this sorry state, and now that providence and political connection have given him a second chance, he must not abuse it.’

He added that Nigerians expect ‘his best hands’ running the game and do not want old wounds reopened.

But a top official who travelled with the delegation to Zurich, pushed back on separate reports that Pinnick was being lined up to chair the Normalisation Committee FIFA is expected to name before the end of the week.

The official said Pinnick told FIFA directly in Zurich on Tuesday that he wanted to be left to run his private business and continue in his global football roles, and dismissed the speculation as untrue.

The official credited Pinnick with attracting unmatched sponsorship to the NFF during his tenure and pointed to his continuing influence as an adviser to the CAF President and Deputy Chairman of FIFA’s Men’s National Teams’ Competitions Committee as an asset for Nigeria, rather than grounds for exclusion.

Pinnick joined the Zurich delegation on Tuesday alongside Dikko, NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade and NFF Interim General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme following Gusau’s resignation as NFF President. The Normalisation Committee is expected to draw up a roadmap for reforming NFF governance, including an overhaul of a Congress structure currently dominated by state FA chairmen and federation loyalists.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, is driving the most organic and structured youth mobilisation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This was made known in a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the City Boy Movement in Ondo State, Mr. Dayo Joseph.

According to Joseph, at the heart of the mobilisation is the City Boy Movement, now the largest pro-Tinubu youth political movement in Africa, which Olawande is leveraging to convert the Renewed Hope Agenda from a slogan into a grassroots movement.

He said the Minister has built disciplined structures for the movement across states, local governments, wards, markets and campuses, with a mandate to take the administration’s message to every home and sensitise Nigerians to key reforms such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND.

Joseph noted that the movement has set an ambitious target of delivering 10 million youth votes for President Tinubu in 2027, driven by direct community engagement rather than social media rhetoric.

He added that the initiative is also aimed at bridging the gap between government and young Nigerians and moving youths from political observers to active participants in governance.

Beyond politics, the Publicity Secretary said Olawande is using performance in office as his most effective mobilisation tool.

‘Under his watch, the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund was expanded from N75 billion to N110 billion to support young entrepreneurs, 20 vocational centres were established nationwide, and the Nigerian Youth Academy was launched to train over 10,000 youths in ICT and other vocational skills,’ Joseph stated.

He listed other interventions to include an AI-powered Youth Help Desk on WhatsApp for verified jobs and mentorship, the Corpreneur Support Scheme for corps members, the Grassroots Youth Entrepreneurship Support Scheme for rural businesses, the Young and Secure Initiative with the Ministry of Police Affairs to curb youth harassment, the Electric Tricycle Empowerment Initiative for self-employment, and a partnership with IITA and NALDA to engage 100,000 youths in agribusiness.

Joseph said Olawande has shown that mobilisation is not noise-making, but proving that government can build hope through systems, platforms and skills.

Former Big Brother Naija housemate Leo Da Silva has advised ex-reality TV stars to prioritise financial stability, warning that fame without a steady income is hard to sustain.

In a post on X, the 2018 ‘Double Wahala’ housemate said securing regular earnings should be the first step for anyone leaving the BBNaija house.

‘Anyone who comes out of the BBNaija house, my first advice was always to look for something that gives you constant money while you build your brand. Even if it’s 100k or 50k a week,’ Leo wrote.

He also cautioned against lifestyle inflation and comparing yourself to peers.

‘Keep the same friends you had before the house, and no matter how much you make, live below your means. This brand thing is a journey, not a marathon; don’t compare yourself to anyone,’ he added.

Leo’s remarks come days after a video of season 10 housemate Danboskid circulated online.

In the clip, Danboskid appeared distressed and was seen in a not-so-good apartment.

The video drew widespread reaction on social media, with fans and commentators expressing concern for the welfare of some former housemates after the show.

It also revived discussions about the challenges of transitioning from three months of national visibility to long-term career sustainability.

Since 2006, BBNaija has launched dozens of media personalities, influencers and entrepreneurs.

However, many note that without structured post-show support, many struggle to convert popularity into lasting income.

The GSM revolution has become a major driver of Nigeria’s economic development, supporting banking, commerce, education, healthcare and digital payments, Chairman, MTN Nigeria and former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Ernest Ndukwe, has said.

In an interview, he said telecommunications has become essential to virtually every part of the economy.

‘The biggest impact has been its role in catalysing economic development. There is hardly any aspect of commerce that does not depend on telecommunications services,’ Ndukwe said.

He noted that companies such as Visa and Mastercard previously avoided Nigeria because they could not operate effectively without reliable telecommunications services.

The financial sector has been among the biggest beneficiaries.

‘For the banking industry today, it would have been impossible to attain the expansion and the high level of performance and efficiency it has attained without pervasive telecommunications infrastructure and services,’ he said.

Ndukwe added that mobile money and fintech platforms such as MoMo, Opay, Moniepoint and PalmPay also depend on telecommunications infrastructure.

The impact extends to education, healthcare and access to information, he added. ‘Telecommunications has also transformed education, healthcare and access to information,’ Ndukwe said, noting that broadband has become a foundation for learning and that connectivity supported the use of platforms such as Zoom during COVID-19.

Ndukwe said telecom has also helped Nigeria remain connected to global developments. ‘Telecommunications has made it possible for Nigeria to participate in global developments and has helped prevent the digital divide between us and the more advanced countries from widening further.’

He said the transformation demonstrates how telecommunications infrastructure can support wider economic development, from financial services and commerce to education and healthcare. As Nigeria’s digital economy expands, the sectors built around connectivity continue to deepen the economic impact of the GSM revolution.

Uber’s exit from Nigeria has created fresh opportunities for rival ride-hailing platforms seeking to attract customers and drivers who previously used the global mobility company.

Uber announced that it would discontinue operations in Nigeria effective September 2, 2026, ending its 12-year presence in the country after launching in Lagos in 2014.

Although the company did not disclose how many Nigerian drivers and riders would be affected by its departure, its exit is expected to create room for both established and emerging mobility platforms to expand their presence in the market.

Bolt is arguably Uber’s most direct competitor in Nigeria. The company already operates a ride-hailing platform in Nigeria, connecting riders with independent driver partners. Its Nigerian driver programme allows drivers to choose when to go online, accept available requests and earn from completed trips.

Bolt’s presence in Lagos is particularly significant. The company lists ride services across the city and continues to recruit drivers, making it well positioned to absorb some of the riders and drivers leaving Uber.

Rather than relying entirely on an automatically determined fare, inDrive allows riders and drivers to negotiate the price of a trip. According to the company’s description of its model, users can have a say in the price, vehicle and driver they choose.

The model has previously attracted Nigerian riders looking for alternatives to higher ride-hailing fares. TechCabal reported that rising fuel prices and inflation had encouraged some customers to turn to inDrive and Rida because of their pricing flexibility.

Rida is another Nigerian-market competitor that could benefit from Uber’s departure.

Rida allows riders to set a price, choose a driver and request either car or motorcycle transportation. Its current driver application also advertises 0% commission, allowing drivers to retain the full fare from rides.

The platform’s approach could appeal particularly to drivers who are concerned about commissions and rising operating costs.

A 2023 TechCabal report noted that Rida did not charge drivers commission at the time, while inDrive charged a lower commission than Uber and Bolt.

LagRide is a Lagos-focused e-hailing service and another potential beneficiary of Uber’s exit.

The platform describes itself as a premium e-taxi service and says it operates a fleet of petrol and electric vehicles across Lagos. Its platform allows passengers to book rides, track drivers, rate trips and make cashless payments.

LagRide also has a distinctive model for drivers; the company says it provides vehicles to its drivers, meaning prospective drivers do not necessarily need to purchase their own cars before joining the platform.

GeraRide is another platform seeking a place in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive mobility market. GeraRide says it serves riders in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, offering different categories of transportation, including economy, comfort, premium, SUV, motorcycle and XL rides. It also combines ride-hailing with delivery services.

For drivers, the company advertises flexible working hours and a 15% platform fee, with its driver programme stating that the first month is commission-free.

Its focus on lower commissions and flexible work could help it attract drivers searching for alternatives.

Shuttlers operates differently from traditional point-to-point ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Bolt. The company specialises in scheduled shared transportation, including daily commuting and employee transport. Its platform allows users to search for routes and book scheduled rides.

Shuttlers says more than 100,000 professionals use its commuting services, although its model is primarily focused on scheduled mass transit rather than individual on-demand rides.

Therefore, it may not directly replace Uber for every type of journey, but it offers another technology-driven transportation option for Nigerians.

Oga Taxi is another local player identified among Nigeria’s ride-hailing platforms.

Oga Taxi has been listed alongside other Nigerian e-hailing operators, including Bolt, inDrive, Rida, LagRide and Shuttlers. The report highlighted the growth of ride-hailing across several Nigerian cities and the emergence of numerous platforms competing for riders and drivers.

Although it does not have the same international profile as Uber, its presence demonstrates the number of local and regional alternatives available in Nigeria’s e-hailing market.