Moove has turned down a request by its Uber Go drivers to lower their daily remittance from ₦18,700 to ₦12,000, insisting that Uber’s exit from Nigeria does not change the drivers’ existing loan obligations.
The vehicle financing company told the affected drivers that their contracts remain fully binding, and that failure to keep up with remittance payments could lead to contract termination and further enforcement action. Moove added that even if a contract is terminated, any outstanding debt would still be owed and pursued through recovery.
Why drivers are pushing back
The drivers, who operate Suzuki S-Presso vehicles financed by Moove and popularly nicknamed Uber Korope, say the current remittance has become difficult to sustain since Uber shut down its Nigerian operations on September 2. Uber cited a shift in focus toward its core business as the reason for the exit.
Following the shutdown, Moove initially left drivers uncertain about which platforms they could work on, since their financing contracts tied them exclusively to Uber Go. The company later said drivers could move to other ride-hailing apps such as Bolt and inDrive.
But drivers say that concession has not solved their bigger problem. With fewer ride requests and rising fuel costs cutting into their earnings, many argue they can no longer sustain the current repayment structure. In a formal request, a group of drivers asked Moove to reduce the daily remittance and review other contract terms, including releasing vehicles to drivers who have completed their four-year term but fall short of performance targets.
Moove holds its ground
Responding to the drivers, Moove maintained that the credit facility extended to them remains subject to the originally agreed repayment terms, regardless of Uber’s exit. The company reiterated that ownership of a vehicle only transfers to a driver once all financial obligations under the agreement have been fully met.
This is not the first time Moove’s remittance structure has drawn pushback. Drivers have previously protested sudden increases in weekly payments, including a case where the fee reportedly moved from ₦8 million to ₦12 million in total vehicle cost, and another round of complaints over a jump in daily remittance. A drivers’ union has separately called for a reversal of remittance hikes and an audit of repayment records, citing concerns about excessive working hours and inconsistent commission treatment for drivers under vehicle-financing arrangements.
What happens next
For now, drivers remain bound by contracts signed under a different market reality, one where Uber was guaranteed to be their only source of income. With that guarantee gone, drivers are left absorbing higher fuel costs and inconsistent ride volumes while still owing the same fixed amounts each day.
Moove has not indicated any plan to revisit the remittance figures, and its latest message to drivers suggests the company sees Uber’s exit as a market change rather than grounds for contract renegotiation. Whether continued pressure from drivers and labour groups will force a shift in position remains to be seen.
