The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has sought the Lagos State House of Assembly’s intervention on issues affecting app-based drivers.
AUATON’s Lagos State Chairman, Mr Jaiyesimi Azeez, alleged in a petition on Wednesday that drivers faced corporate negligence and repeated violations by transport platforms.
He identified the offending platforms as Uber, Bolt, Indrive, Lagride, Rida, and others operating across Lagos and the wider Nigerian transport market.
The petition is titled: ‘Public Petition Against Uber, Bolt, inDrive, Rida And Lagride For Non-Compliance With The National Collective Agreement And Corporate Negligence.’
Azeez alleged that the companies had profited from drivers’ labour but failed to provide minimum protections for app-based transport workers’ welfare and security.
He said this negligence had led to rising cases of violence, injury, and death involving both drivers and passengers.
“In spite of the adoption of the National Collective Agreement in May 2024, these platforms have not honoured its terms or consulted workers’ representatives.
“Drivers face job misclassification, losing legal protections, and suffer violent crimes including carjackings, theft, assault, and even murder.
“They endure unsafe conditions due to poor passenger profiling, wrongful account deactivations after strikes, and a lack of collective bargaining or social security rights.
“In spite of these problems, platforms have failed to provide effective communication channels, conflict resolution mechanisms, or systems for fair compensation,” Azeez said.
He claimed that the platforms’ continued non-compliance with national and global labour standards violated drivers’ fundamental rights and dignity.
“We urge the Lagos State House of Assembly to convene a Restorative Justice Conference in July 2025.
“This event should include lawmakers, regulators, company representatives, and unions, to create a national policy recognising platform drivers’ employment status,” he said.
Azeez said the petition was rooted in the ‘Employment Relationship Recommendation (No. 198), 2006’ and ILO Convention No. 87, ratified by Nigeria in 1960.
He said it also referenced Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and Section 91 of the Labour Act, which support unionisation and collective bargaining.
He explained that these legal provisions confirmed app-based workers’ rights to protection, representation, and fair legal processes.
