Uber’s Exited Nigeria, Just Weeks After It Acquired ‘Delivery Hero’ (Glovo) for €13 Billion

On September 2, 2026, Uber officially ended its 12-year ride-hailing operation in Nigeria, closing a chapter that began with its Lagos launch in 2014. That legacy came to an abrupt halt with what many Nigerians online have jokingly and painfully dubbed the “Uber rapture”, a reference to how suddenly and completely the app simply stopped working, with some drivers reportedly losing access mid-trip while passengers were still in the car.

The company closed with an apology that many drivers felt came far too late for their liking: “We know this may cause disruption to your routine, and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.”

An Uber spokesperson attempted to reassure the rest of the African continent that this was not the beginning of a broader pullout, stating plainly, “This decision is limited strictly to these two markets and does not impact our operations across the rest of the continent.”

The reference to “these two markets” points to the simultaneous and equally significant exit from Uganda, where Uber had operated for roughly ten years, making the September 2 announcement a dual withdrawal rather than an isolated Nigerian decision.

Drivers, whose livelihoods depended heavily on the platform, received a separate and similarly candid memo. Uber acknowledged the emotional and financial weight of the announcement, writing, “We know this is heavy news,” while promising a one-off goodwill payment intended “to help ease this challenging transition” for active drivers.

For many Nigerian drivers who had built years of routine and income around the platform, the goodwill gesture offered only limited comfort against the sudden, jarring loss of their primary source of work.

Just as Nigerians were processing the disappointing departure of one of the country’s most recognisable mobility platforms, attention was simultaneously turning to an entirely different side of Uber’s global strategy: its planned €13 billion acquisition of Delivery Hero, the German food-delivery giant behind Glovo.

Economic Headwinds and Fierce Competition

Uber did not offer a single definitive explanation for the Nigerian shutdown in its public messaging, choosing instead the somewhat generic language of a “thorough review” of business priorities. However, industry analysts and reporting from outlets including the BBC point to a punishing combination of economic pressures that made the Nigerian ride-hailing market increasingly unsustainable.

Uber has said its Nigerian Help Centre will remain accessible until September 23 or 24, 2026, depending on the source, giving drivers a limited window to resolve outstanding account, payment, and support issues before the platform disappears entirely from the Nigerian market.

Uber Leaves Nigerian Ride-Hailing but Moves Toward Glovo Historic €13 Billion Delivery Hero Acquisition

While Nigerian drivers were grappling with sudden unemployment, Uber’s leadership was simultaneously orchestrating what can only be described as a transformative and audacious global expansion move.

Uber steadily strengthened its negotiating position by acquiring additional shares from investors, including Prosus and Aspex Management. Crucially, Prosus agreed to irrevocably commit its substantial 16.8 percent stake to the deal, a move that pushed Uber’s total economic interest in Delivery Hero to roughly 53 percent, essentially guaranteeing the transaction’s momentum well before shareholders even had their formal say.

Delivery Hero’s Management Board and Supervisory Board have both heartily and unconditionally approved the offer, publicly declaring that they intend to urge that shareholders tender their shares once the official offer document is available.

The united organisation, once completed, promises to be a major player in global commerce, operating in 99 countries and with a combined pro forma Gross Merchandise Value of nearly $236 billion based on 2025 estimates.

Notably, and somewhat surprisingly, the deal does not mean Uber will directly absorb Glovo everywhere it operates.

What Is Delivery Hero?

That means Uber’s Nigerian story could soon become considerably more complicated. The company is walking away from transporting Nigerians in privately driven cars while potentially gaining ownership of a major platform delivering food, groceries and other products to Nigerians.

In a fascinating twist, Delivery Hero separately agreed to sell its operations across fourteen overlapping markets, precisely the regions where Uber Eats and Delivery Hero’s various brands already compete head-to-head, to SSW Partners, a New York-based investment firm, for approximately €1.4 billion, or roughly $1.6 billion.

This carve-out specifically includes Glovo’s operations in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Romania, and Moldova, along with foodora in Austria, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Sweden, efood in Greece, Foody in Cyprus, PedidosYa in Chile and Ecuador, and Yemeksepeti in Turkey.

Conclusion

Uber’s twin headlines from the summer and early autumn of 2026 tell two dramatically different but equally consequential stories about the same company.

In Nigeria, twelve years of ride-hailing history came to a sudden and painful close on September 2, 2026, leaving drivers scrambling and riders frustrated, even as Uber insisted the decision was strictly limited to Nigeria and Uganda and not a broader African retreat.

Meanwhile, roughly seven weeks earlier, Uber had already set in motion a historic, sweeping, and financially staggering €13 billion takeover bid for Delivery Hero, the parent company of Glovo and numerous other beloved regional delivery brands, a deal poised to create one of the largest combined mobility and delivery platforms on the planet once it closes in the second half of 2027.

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