Ride-hailing drivers in Africas major cities are increasingly taking matters into their own hands to protest and counter what they deem unfair fares imposed by platforms like InDrive, Uber, Bolt, and Faras. The drivers argue that the rising cost of living, particularly the surge in fuel prices, has made the fares unsustainable.
In Nigeria, InDrive has borne the brunt of drivers' frustrations. Drivers have condemned the app for allowing riders to offer insufficient fares often far below the cost of a trip. "Someone needs to sue InDrive because it is becoming worse every day. Somedays I don't even go out because of the ridiculous amount on the app," Ola, a driver, lamented , as captured by local tech publication Technext .
A typical example cited by drivers involves a 38.6-kilometre trip from Victoria Island to Egbeda, for which a rider offered a paltry NGN 2 K (USD 1.26). This amount, drivers argue, is insufficient to cover even the cost of fuel. InDrive, in response , attributed these issues to GPS glitches and passenger network problems, claiming they affect less than 1 percent of trips. However, drivers insist the problem is more widespread.
Kenya has witnessed a similar uprising. Drivers have begun to charge their own fares , often doubling or tripling those set by the platforms. We, as Nairobi online drivers, wish to notify the public that due to the high cost of living, we will not be able to operate under the current rates of Uber, Faras, and Bolt, a notice from Kenyan drivers read.
Dennis Nyariki, deputy chairman of the Organisation of Online Drivers Kenya, has called for a minimum fare increase from USD 1.40 to USD 2.33 and a multiplier of 1.5 for fares exceeding USD 2.33. This, he argues, would cover the cost of fuel, airtime, and maintenance.
