By FLORENCE ONUEGBU

App-based drivers under the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) have challenged inDrive’s declaration of “long-term commitment” to Nigeria.

In a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of AUATON, Lagos State, Mr Steven Iwindoye, on Thursday, he urged InDrive to instead improve the earnings and ensure better welfare for drivers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that InDrive had in a statement earlier, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Nigeria’s mobility market.

The platform also said It had already made significant investments in the Nigerian market.

It said it remained committed to further investing in service quality, safety, technology, and local communities to create long-term value for Nigerians.

Iwindoye, however, said that inDrive’s commitment to Nigeria should be measured, not only by its relationship with passengers, investors and the market, but also by the welfare and working conditions of drivers.

“A commitment that does not improve the livelihood of the worker is simply a commitment to the market, not necessarily to the people,” he said.

Iwindoye said that drivers were confronted with rising fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, spare parts, insurance, data expenses, vehicle financing and depreciation.

He said that ride-hailing platforms could not continue attracting passengers through lower fares while expecting drivers to bear the resulting economic burden.

“A cheap ride for the passenger must not become a poverty ride for the driver,” the PRO said.

According to him, drivers provide the vehicles, purchase fuel, bear maintenance and depreciation costs, and spend long hours on the road while facing traffic, insecurity, accidents and other risks.

He said the situation had created a power imbalance in which drivers carried much of the investment and operational risks, while platforms exercised significant influence over pricing and access to passengers.

The AUATON official called for fair and sustainable fares, improved driver earnings, reasonable and transparent commissions, protection from economically unrealistic fares and transparent pricing structures.

He also demanded meaningful driver representation, improved safety and welfare measures, social protection for platform workers and genuine consultation with organised drivers before policies affecting their livelihoods were introduced.

Iwindoye said that inDrive should not confuse the market expansion with worker welfare.

‘’A company could be committed to expanding its business in Nigeria without necessarily improving the welfare of the people who made the business possible, ‘’ he said.

He, therefore, questioned the company on how its long-term commitment would improve the economic condition of Nigerian drivers and whether drivers would earn more after deducting operational expenses.

The PRO also questioned whether fares reflected the actual cost of transportation and drivers would have a stronger voice in decisions affecting their livelihoods.

Iwindoye urged inDrive, Bolt and other ride-hailing platforms to learn from Uber’s exit from Nigeria and address workers’ concerns before they reached a breaking point.

He urged the platforms to engage, listen to and negotiate with drivers, stressing that organised workers would not disappear because their work was controlled through digital applications.

Iwindoye described the increasing burden placed on individual drivers as “modern-day economic exploitation”, arguing that technology should not become “a new name for old-fashioned exploitation”.

He said that AUATON was not asking for charity or favours but demanding fairness, dignity and a seat at the table.

“Without the driver, there is no trip, no passenger service, no platform and no Nigerian ride-hailing market,” Iwindoye said.

The PRO urged inDrive to demonstrate its commitment through better earnings, fairer fares, reasonable commissions, stronger driver protection and genuine consultation.

He said that platform workers would continue to demand accountability, fairness and justice in Nigeria’s digital transportation industry. (NAN)