Free Reads Newcomers Are Tinkering With New Models To Replace Uber In Nigeria By Henry Nzekwe  |  November 12, 2026 The scramble to replace Uber in Nigeria is being fought over who absorbs the cost of a trip, and the new entrants are making bets that Uber itself could not sustain. Uber ended operations in Nigeria on September 2 after twelve years, leaving behind a market worth about USD 450 M in 2025 and projected by Ken Research to reach USD 982 M by 2032. Bolt and inDrive moved quickly to absorb riders and drivers, but a cluster of newer and local players is now testing structurally different models. Loop, FastDrive, SimpliRide and Shuttlers are shaping up as not merely cheaper versions of Uber but experiments in who pays when the fare does not cover the journey. The most aggressive of these is Loop, which launched in Port Harcourt and Delta State in October and says drivers keep 100% of their fares, paying the platform through a subscription rather than a per-trip commission. FastDrive, founded by Okechukwu…