The Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the high commission rates charged by app-based transport platforms, describing them as exploitative and unjust.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) on Thursday, NLC Lagos Chairperson Funmi Sessi criticised companies such as Uber, Bolt, Indrive, and LagRide for deducting up to 25–35 per cent of drivers’ earnings, while contributing nothing to their welfare.

“These companies don’t provide the vehicles or bear the running costs. Drivers supply their own vehicles, fuel them, maintain them, and face the law enforcement agencies themselves — yet, the app firms take up to 30 per cent just for matching them with passengers. It is purely exploitative,” Sessi said.

She called on the Lagos State House of Assembly to introduce legislation regulating e-hailing services to ensure drivers’ rights, data protection, safety, and fair compensation are upheld.

Sessi further stated that app companies were raking in billions from Nigerian drivers without offering social protection or job security.

Echoing her stance, AUATON Lagos Chairman Azeez Jaiyesimi emphasised that drivers had jobs before the advent of ride-hailing apps and accused the platforms of merely inserting themselves as middlemen in an already functioning taxi industry.

“We were traditional taxi drivers before these apps approached us. They didn’t give us jobs — they created a software and took over our business model. Now they fix unfair prices without considering the cost of operations,” he said.

Jaiyesimi warned that the companies’ actions were resulting in poor service delivery, and called for a joint review of fare structures to ensure balance between affordability for passengers and sustainability for drivers.

“We understand passengers are also struggling, but fares must be fair and not undermine our livelihood,” he said.