The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on major ride-hailing companies; Uber, Bolt, Indrive, Rida, and LagRide, to appear for a public hearing following a petition over poor working conditions and labour rights violations.
The hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, comes after the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) submitted a formal complaint to the Assembly. The union said it wanted the government to take action over what it described as unsafe and unfair treatment of drivers working for these platforms.
Mr. Azeez Jaiyesimi, Chairman of the Lagos chapter of the union, made this known in a statement released by the union’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Steven Iwindoye, on Monday.
“The Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned Uber, Bolt, Indrive, Rida, and LagRide to appear for a public hearing. The hearing aims to address the growing unrest in the ride-hailing sector and create a framework for safer, fairer, and more accountable operations in the Nigerian gig economy,” Jaiyesimi stated.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the petition filed by the union raised concerns about insecurity, poor working conditions, and failure by the companies to follow government regulations.
The petition was titled: *Public Petition Against Uber, Bolt, Indrive, Rida, and LagRide for Non-Compliance with the National Collective Agreement and Corporate Negligence, Resulting in the Victimisation of App-Based Transport Workers in Nigeria.*
In the complaint, the union accused the companies of ignoring drivers’ welfare and endangering their safety. Some of the major issues listed include driver profiling without proper process, lack of safety measures for both drivers and passengers, unfair price changes without driver input, lack of support for drivers facing challenges, and continued attempts to stop union activities.
The union said these practices are affecting the lives of thousands of drivers in Lagos who rely on these platforms to earn a living.
As the Assembly prepares for the hearing, there is hope among drivers that the discussions will lead to better protection, fairer pay, and safer working conditions in the ride-hailing industry.
