By Paul Chimodo
App-based transport drivers in Rivers State have raised alarm over worsening working conditions and what they describe as unfair treatment by ride-hailing companies. Members of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters say operators have failed to adjust fares despite the steady increase in petrol prices, while continuing to deduct between 28 and 30 percent commission on every trip.
Leading a protest to the Nigeria Labour Congress secretariat in Port Harcourt, the Acting Chairman of the union, Lawrencia Ogu, said drivers are being pushed to the brink as daily earnings barely cover basic living expenses. Many of the drivers, she added, operate vehicles on hire purchase, with weekly payments ranging from thirty to fifty thousand naira, leaving them with little or no income to support their families after paying both commissions and loan obligations.
The drivers called on authorities and the e-hailing companies to review fare structures and reduce commission rates, saying that without intervention, many risk falling into debt or losing their livelihoods. Responding to the protest, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Rivers State, Alex Agwanwor, assured the drivers that the union would engage the ride-hailing companies in negotiations aimed at improving working conditions and ensuring fair treatment for app-based transport operators.
Industry analysts note that such disputes highlight ongoing tensions in the gig economy, where rising operational costs and fixed commission models often leave drivers financially strained despite increasing demand for digital transport services.
