Lagos, Nigeria – In a recent move to enforce regulatory compliance, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation has embarked on a stringent crackdown on e-hailing services, particularly targeting vehicles associated with Uber and Moove. The government’s actions stem from the refusal of these e-hailing giants to integrate their Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) with the state’s system, a step required for granting the government access to their extensive databases of drivers and riders.
Reports have surfaced of Moove vehicles being disproportionately affected, largely due to their distinctiveness and their known association with the Uber platform. According to affected drivers, the state’s enforcement tactics have taken an aggressive turn, with Ministry of Transportation (MOT) officials allegedly using deceptive measures to ensnare unsuspecting drivers. Victims recounted experiences of being lured into traps by officials who posed as regular passengers via the Uber app, only to have their vehicles impounded and tires deflated upon arrival.
This crackdown has not only caught drivers off guard but has also sparked outrage among the e-hailing community. The drivers, who rely on these platforms for their livelihoods, argue that they should not bear the brunt of a dispute between Uber and the Lagos State government. A Moove driver, identified only as Sunday, voiced his frustration, stating, “I came to Alausa to drop a passenger, and was unexpectedly ambushed. It’s surprising that my vehicle is impounded, my tires deflated, and I’m left without a clear explanation.”
The Lagos State chapter of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has confirmed the government’s enforcement actions and advised drivers to temporarily cease using the Uber app until the dispute is resolved. The union’s Public Relations Officer, Comrade Iwindoye Steven, emphasized the need to protect members from what he described as “the subjugation” by both the e-hailing company and the Lagos government.
The heart of the issue lies in the Lagos State taxi-hailing regulation, which mandates that all operators of e-hailing taxi services must allow the ministry access to their database. Uber’s reluctance to comply with this requirement has led to a standoff that significantly impacts drivers and threatens to escalate if a resolution is not reached promptly.
As this situation unfolds, the plight of the drivers highlights the delicate balance between regulatory enforcement and the operational freedom of e-hailing services. The ongoing conflict serves as a reminder of the need for dialogue and cooperation between technology platforms and regulatory bodies to ensure that innovations in transportation continue to thrive without compromising on safety and compliance.
