Moove is quitting Nigeria because the loss of Uber, the principal platform behind its Nigerian model, left the business unable
Wasiu Alli, Chinwe Michael & Juliet Onyema
October 8, 2026
Moove is quitting Nigeria because the loss of Uber, the principal platform behind its Nigerian model, left the business unable to sustain its operations in the market, Ladi Delano, the company’s co-founder and co-CEO, said
Delano described Uber as the platform that supported Moove’s Nigerian model at scale, and said its departure materially changed the operating environment in Nigeria. Moove assessed the alternatives and the economics of continuing and concluded it could not sustain its Nigerian operating model.
To manage the exit, Moove is bringing forward vehicle ownership through its Thank You Nigeria initiative. Remaining scheduled vehicle payments from October 1, 2026 are waived for eligible mobility entrepreneurs, and ownership of the vehicles transfers to them.
In this exclusive interview, Delano discusses how the company intends to achieve this initiative as BusinessDay’s Wasiu Alli, Chinwe Michael & Juliet Onyema bring excerpts.
Moove has announced that it will conclude its operations in Nigeria. What led to this decision?
This is an emotional moment for Jide and me. Nigeria gave Moove its beginning, and we will always be grateful for that.
We started with 76 vehicles in Lagos and a belief that hardworking Nigerian mobility entrepreneurs deserved access to the vehicles and finance they needed to build their businesses. Our earliest mobility entrepreneurs trusted us when we were still finding our feet. Our Nigerian colleagues helped us turn that trust into a business that could grow internationally. Thanks to this, we have now successfully scaled our business to over 42,000 cars across 29 global cities and are now one of the largest ride-hail fleets in the world, and for this we are extremely thankful.
Unfortunately, Uber’s departure materially changed the operating environment in Nigeria. We assessed the alternatives and the economics of continuing, and concluded that we could not sustain our Nigerian operating model. That was our decision, and we take responsibility for it.
What matters deeply to us now is how we manage this transition. Through Thank You Nigeria, we are bringing forward vehicle ownership for all eligible customers, subject to settling outstanding remittances up until Oct 1st 2026 and completing the transfer process. We want those vehicles to continue supporting livelihoods and families long after this chapter of Moove’s operations concludes.
How did Uber’s departure affect Moove’s operations in Nigeria?
Uber was the principal platform supporting our Nigerian model at scale, so its departure had a significant effect on the business.
However, after reviewing all available options to us, we concluded that we could not continue to operate in Nigeria. We understand the disappointment this creates, especially among our thousands of customers and colleagues who have been part of our Nigerian journey.
What does Moove’s exit mean for mobility entrepreneurs who obtained vehicles through Moove?
As we conclude our operations, we are introducing the Thank You Nigeria initiative, through which we will transfer ownership “free of charge” to all eligible customers who operate them.
This is deeply personal for Jide and me. Our customers trusted us, worked hard and helped build Moove from its earliest days in Lagos into a global business. We want to recognise that contribution by bringing forward their opportunity to own their vehicles and continue building their livelihoods at no cost.
Thank You Nigeria is our way of expressing that gratitude through something meaningful and lasting. Our hope is that these vehicles will continue supporting our mobility entrepreneurs and their families well into the future, after our market departure.
What happens to existing financing arrangements and repayment obligations?
Under the Thank You Nigeria initiative, the remaining scheduled vehicle payments to Moove from October 1st 2026 are being waived for eligible mobility entrepreneurs. Outstanding remittances accrued before that date must still be settled, and the ownership transfer documentation completed.
Our team will explain each individual arrangement and guide our customers through the process.
The intention is to bring forward ownership and recognise the contribution our customers have made to Moove. They have invested their effort, earnings and trust in this journey, and we want to say thank you in a way that continues to benefit them and their families.
How are you supporting mobility entrepreneurs and employees through the transition?
Our team will work directly with eligible customers to explain their account position, complete the necessary documentation and guide them through taking ownership of their vehicles.
The Thank You Nigeria initiative will also extend to our team members, who will be granted vehicles free of charge in appreciation of their service and contribution to Moove.
Our Nigerian colleagues helped turn an ambition that began in Lagos into a global business. They gave their time, skill and dedication to building Moove, including through some very demanding periods. Jide and I are deeply grateful for that.
Granting these vehicles is a practical expression of our thanks. We want our colleagues to know that their service is valued and that they will always have a place in the story of what we built together.
What has your experience taught you about financing mobility entrepreneurs in a platform-dependent market?
It has reinforced our belief in the ability and determination of Nigerian mobility entrepreneurs.
Since launching, we have served more than 9,000 mobility entrepreneurs across our Drive-to-Own and rental products. Moove-financed vehicles have helped them generate approximately ₦57 billion in revenue. That revenue reflects their work on the road, their commitment and the businesses they have built around those vehicles.
We also learned that access to finance is one part of the equation. Demand, fares, fuel, maintenance and repayments all affect what a mobility entrepreneur takes home.
The model must work for the mobility entrepreneur and remain sustainable for the businesses supporting them. Our experience in Nigeria has made us more attentive to that balance.
How does Nigeria’s mobility ecosystem need to evolve to create more sustainable opportunities?
We should begin with the ambitions of the mobility entrepreneur: earning a decent living, building a business and creating greater security for their family.
Nigeria has enormous entrepreneurial energy. We saw it every day through our customers and colleagues who built Moove with us. The opportunity is to make it easier for that effort to translate into lasting progress.
Affordable finance, dependable maintenance and platform economics that support sustainable earnings all matter. So does choice: access to several platforms gives mobility entrepreneurs more ways to reach customers and adapt when circumstances change.
Our experience has taught us to listen closely to mobility entrepreneurs. They understand the daily realities of this industry, and their experience should help shape the solutions.
What has Moove learned from Nigeria, and how will those lessons inform its approach elsewhere?
Nigeria taught us how to build Moove.
We learned to recognise the earning potential of mobility entrepreneurs who struggled to access conventional finance. We learned how to maintain vehicles, manage fleets and respond to the practical challenges of operating every day.
Our Nigerian team brought ingenuity and determination to that work. The capabilities developed here helped us grow from 76 vehicles in Lagos into a business operating approximately 42,000 vehicles across 29 cities.
As Moove develops its role in autonomous mobility, those lessons remain valuable. Vehicles still need to be financed, maintained and operated reliably notwithstanding the absence of a human driver.
When we speak about Moove’s global progress, our Nigerian mobility entrepreneurs and colleagues deserve their place in that story. They helped build its foundations.
Where do you see the biggest opportunities for vehicle financing and mobility entrepreneurship across emerging markets?
There is still a substantial opportunity to help capable mobility entrepreneurs access productive vehicles and build sustainable businesses.
The financing needs to reflect what a mobility entrepreneur can realistically earn after operating expenses. There are also opportunities in maintenance, fleet management and the infrastructure that keeps vehicles productive.
Technology will develop differently across markets. Our responsibility as business builders is to understand those differences and invest in models that can work over time.
Nigeria has given us experience that we carry into those decisions. It has also strengthened our belief that, with access to the right tools and opportunities, mobility entrepreneurs can build businesses of lasting value.
What does Moove’s next chapter look like, and what does this decision mean for your commitment to Nigeria?
Moove’s next chapter includes expanding our role in autonomous mobility on a global scale, whilst continuing to grow our drive to own business in our current markets.
We are proud of how far the business has come. We are equally thankful to all our customers, colleagues and partners whose work made that progress possible.
For Jide and me, our commitment to Nigeria continues. Our other businesses remain committed to contributing to Nigeria’s economy and building businesses that create value here.
Our immediate responsibility at Moove is to complete this transition carefully and fulfil the commitments we are making to affected mobility entrepreneurs and colleagues.
To our customers, thank you for trusting us and building alongside us. To our Nigerian team, thank you for your dedication. To our partners and the wider community, thank you for giving a young business from Lagos the opportunity to grow into a global leader.
Nigeria helped make Moove possible. Wherever we go next, we will carry that gratitude with us. Thank you Nigeria.
