Uber To Shut Down Operations In Nigeria, Uganda, And Reduce 10% Of Its Workforce

The global rideshare company is also cutting approximately 3,300 jobs.

Uber Technologies is pulling out of Nigeria and Uganda just as the ride-hailing giant cuts about 3,300 jobs and redirects resources toward autonomous vehicles.

The company announced Sept. 2 that it would discontinue operations in both African markets as part of a broader restructuring. Uber said the exits reflect changing business priorities and its investment focus, while emphasizing that it remains committed to Sub-Saharan Africa.

“After a thorough review of our business, we have made the tough decision to wind down our operations in Nigeria,” Uber said in a statement, according to Reuters.

“Our immediate priority is supporting drivers, riders and local team members throughout this transition. Uber remains deeply committed to sub-Saharan Africa, where we continue to see robust growth and long-term opportunity,” added an Uber spokesperson, according to Al Jazeera.

The San Francisco-based tech company launched in Nigeria in 2014 before expanding to other African countries.

The ride-hailing giant is also cutting approximately 3,300 jobs, or about 10% of its global workforce, as it restructures around artificial intelligence and autonomous transportation, reports Al Jazeera. This marks Uber’s largest workforce reduction since the COVID-19 pandemic. The tech giant said the restructuring will reduce management layers, streamline teams, and redirect resources towards driverless vehicles.

“We’re making a number of significant organizational changes across Uber. We are removing layers, simplifying team structures, refining our global location strategy, and focusing our people and investments against the biggest opportunities ahead of us. As a result, we will be reducing the size of our team by about 10%,” said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a public memo to employees.

“This wasn’t a decision we made lightly, because it will have a real impact on our teammates and friends who have worked hard for Uber. It’s important to say that these changes are about how we’re organized and what we’re prioritizing, not about anyone’s contributions to Uber,” reads the memo.

Khosrowshahi said Uber’s rapid expansion over the past five years created additional management layers and fragmented ownership that slowed decision-making. The company also plans to reduce fully remote roles to about 1% of its workforce.

“We are also asking the vast majority of remote employees to move to an office, and going forward, only ~1% of employees will be remote,” said the CEO. “We’ll also continue to reinforce compliance with our hybrid work policy, which requires three days a week in the office.”

Uber’s latest round of job cuts comes weeks after reports revealed that the tech giant plans to invest more than $10 billion in robotaxis, backing autonomous-driving companies and positioning Uber as a marketplace for driverless rides.

The workforce reduction also comes as Uber is experiencing exponential growth. In its second-quarter 2026 results, the company reported $14.2 billion in revenue, up 12% year over year, while gross bookings climbed 24% to $58 billion. Adjusted EBITDA increased 33% to $2.8 billion.

Nevertheless, the next phase of Uber’s expansion will require fewer corporate layers and heavier investment in technology that could fundamentally change the ride-hailing business.