LagRide drivers under the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Lagos Chapter, have expressed frustration over the continued operational failures of the LagRide platform and failure to honour key commitments made to drivers under the Lagos e-hailing transport initiative.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos, AUATON’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Steven Iwindoye, expressed concern over the persistent challenges faced by LagRide drivers
According to Iwindoye, despite undergoing a mandatory four-day training program before onboarding, many of the promises made by the LagRide and CIG Motors management teams have not been fulfilled.
He lamented that captains operating in Lagos suburbs are often unable to receive ride requests unless they relocate to high-demand areas such as the Island and Ikeja.
“Captains in areas such as Ikorodu, Badagry, Igando, Abule Egba, Alagbado, Epe, and other outskirts are often unable to receive trip requests – especially in the mornings or even during the day unless they relocate to the Island, Ikeja, or central parts of Lagos,” he said.
He explained that this has discouraged commuters in these locations from using the service.
“Many commuters in these areas have already turned to alternative modes of transportation, due to the inefficiencies that have existed since the service’s inception.”
No visibility, no reach
Iwindoye criticised the LagRide project rollout, citing a lack of public awareness and inadequate marketing.
“It is deeply concerning that a project of this scale was launched without comprehensive market research, advertisement, or visibility studies. The ongoing struggles suggest a lack of understanding of the gig economy and the realities of the e-hailing industry.”
He said app-based drivers were now carrying the weight of the platform’s failures while trying to meet financial obligations.
“Instead of addressing these systemic issues, undue blame continues to be placed on hardworking captains, who are striving to meet asset repayment obligations and support their families.”
Iwindoye noted that promised in-app features, such as daily remittance visibility and asset repayment tracking, were still not functional.
“Expecting captains to remain exclusively on the LagRide app without receiving trip requests for hours, while providing no incentives or meaningful improvements, is unsustainable, ”he noted
He added that the limited visibility of the app across Lagos has only worsened the problem, calling on the management to invest in a state-wide advertising and public awareness campaign.
“Without this, low user engagement will persist – not due to lack of interest, but due to inadequate reach and public awareness,” he said
Insurance and data concerns
AUATON also raised issues with vehicle maintenance and insurance, stating that captains have had to fund repairs and insurance from their own pockets despite paying for these services to Ibile Holdings.
Iwindoye further warned against the app’s data practices, saying its policies mirror China’s cybersecurity laws, which he claims are at odds with Nigerian legal standards.
“This approach mandates extensive identity collection and surveillance practices that do not align with Nigeria’s labour and data protection standards.”
“As a sovereign nation, Nigeria is governed by the NIMC Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, which provide distinct legal protections. Enforcing foreign data frameworks on Nigerian workers constitutes a breach of our sovereignty and undermines our national legal structures.”
What AUATON demands
AUATON is urging the management of LagRide and CIG Motors to revise the app’s data and user policy to align with Nigerian labour and data protection laws, rather than adopting foreign cybersecurity frameworks that do not reflect local standards.
“We respectfully call on the CIG and LagRide management to review and revise the app’s data and user policy to reflect Nigerian Labour laws and data protection regulations, not foreign cybersecurity policies incompatible with our national framework.”
The union is also calling for the immediate implementation of earlier agreed-upon incentives, including daily payments to drivers, transparency in insurance access, vehicle maintenance, and asset repayment tracking.
“We respectfully call on LagRide management to immediately switch to daily payments as originally agreed, instead of the current twice-weekly disbursements, which violate the agreement made with the NLC/AUATON.”
In addition, AUATON is advocating for a collaborative review of the LagRide initiative to address the current challenges and ensure the platform is restructured in a way that supports drivers and meets the expectations of commuters across Lagos.