When Uber launched in Lagos in 2014, drivers like Kayode Olaniyan made as much as ₦300,000 a week. Today, the story is different. Ride-hailing has become a survivalist hustle, with drivers juggling multiple platforms to maximize earnings amid rising fuel costs, high platform commissions, and relentless fare cuts.
Uber, Bolt, inDrive, and Rida all compete on pricing, and sometimes, these strategies to win market share disadvantage drivers, who shoulder the costs of maintaining and fueling their vehicles.
So, which platform pays best? We spoke to six ride-hailing drivers who frequently switch between apps to find out.
Bolt offers the best deal for driver earnings
For Collins and several other drivers who spoke to TechCabal, Bolt offers the best deal. Its commission is as high as Uber’s (25%), but its fares are generally higher. The lowest fare on Uber is 26% less than Bolt, a difference that adds up over multiple trips.
Drivers say Uber has increased its commission to 30% while slashing fares to compete with InDrive. The result? Lower take-home earnings.
“They don’t own the cars, they don’t maintain them, yet they take so much,” Collins said.
InDrive and Rida, on the other hand, allow passengers to negotiate fares, which often forces drivers to accept unreasonably low prices to stay in business. Despite InDrive’s lower 10% commission, many drivers feel it’s a race to the bottom.
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