In 2014, when Uber launched in Lagos, drivers like Kayode Olaniyan were making as much as ₦300,000 a week. However, the story has taken a drastic turn. Today, ride-hailing has become a survivalist hustle, with drivers juggling multiple platforms to maximize earnings amid rising fuel costs, high platform commissions, and relentless fare cuts.

Uber, Bolt, inDrive, and Rida are all competing on pricing, but their strategies to win market share often disadvantage drivers, who shoulder the costs of maintaining and fueling their vehicles. To find out which platform pays best, we spoke to six ride-hailing drivers who frequently switch between apps.

According to drivers, Bolt offers the best deal, with its commission as high as Uber's (25%), but its fares are generally higher. The lowest fare on Uber is 26% less than Bolt, a difference that adds up over multiple trips. Drivers say Uber has increased its commission to 30% while slashing fares to compete with InDrive, resulting in lower take-home earnings.

InDrive and Rida, on the other hand, allow passengers to negotiate fares, which often forces drivers to accept unreasonably low prices to stay in business. Despite InDrive's lower 10% commission, many drivers feel it's a race to the bottom. "You will see someone order a ride for ₦2,000, and when you arrive, they're cramming four people into the car," says Akhigbe, a gig driver. "If each of them took a bike, the total fare would be much higher. Ride-hailing is a luxury service—not everyone needs to afford it."

Shrinking earnings are compounded by rising fuel prices and vehicle maintenance costs, making platform commissions even more concerning. Tunde, a Lagos-based Uber driver, completes 16 trips a day, earning ₦36,000, but after spending ₦20,000 on fuel and factoring in Uber's commission, his take-home pay is far less than expected.

Even Bolt's slightly higher fares aren't enough for many drivers. Akhigbe recalls that in three months, Bolt deducted ₦900,000 in commissions from his earnings—but he didn't even have that amount in savings. "I earned about ₦3 million, but after fuel and maintenance costs, I barely kept anything," he says.

One major cost driver is fuel. Some ride-hailing drivers spend ₦180,000 per week on fuel alone, plus an additional ₦30,000 for periodic vehicle servicing. "They should increase the prices. Is it not better for me to do fewer trips and have a good profit than to run around doing so many cheap trips and be left with nothing?" Akhigbe asks.

Another driver who works across multiple platforms told TechCabal that the rising cost of spare parts and oil makes profitability even more difficult, especially for those who lease their cars. "The car owners keep increasing the weekly payments to make a profit, so drivers end up making even less," he said.

Olaniyan, the former Uber top earner, now drives a Moove-financed vehicle, which requires him to pay ₦9,400 daily to Moove, plus Uber's 25% commission. After all deductions, his take-home pay is around ₦15,000 per day. "If this car were mine, I'd be making a lot more," he admits.

For some, Uber still offers the best earnings—especially on weekends. Adebayo, an Uber driver who also runs a restaurant, drives only on weekends and says he earns around ₦350,000 every weekend from about 35 trips. "If I didn't have my restaurant, I could still afford my annual rent of ₦2.6 million just by driving on Uber every weekend."

Uber also has other pricing tiers—UberX and Uber Comfort—where fares are adjusted based on ride acceptance rates and car quality. A trip from Somolu to Ikeja costs 63% more on Uber Comfort than on UberGo, making car category selection a major factor in driver earnings.

The verdict: which platform pays best? Bolt driver Akhigbe believes there is no one-size-fits-all answer. "Every app is different, and the best choice for a driver depends on their personal philosophy, ambitions, education level, and, ultimately, whether they understand that these companies are here to make a profit."

Conversations with drivers reveal distinct platform preferences: Bolt for its overall balance of higher fares and manageable commission, Uber for its weekend earnings and premium car tiers, and InDrive and Rida for their high trip volumes but low fares. There is no perfect ride-hailing platform—only trade-offs. Drivers who adapt and switch based on demand stand the best chance of maximizing their earnings.