Have you ever rode in Ubers driven by women? No? Well, you’re not alone, but believe me when I say that many Nigerian women drive for Uber.
Working women are signing up for side jobs like driving for Uber to supplement their income. Adedoyin Conde is one of such women. The caterer from Lagos said she became an Uber driver for two reasons: her friend thought she had the grit and could make money from it, and she felt it was a good idea worth a shot.
It is no news that the workplace isn’t always a safe space for women — so, what is it like to be a female Uber driver in Nigeria?
“It is fun,” Conde said. “You meet all kinds of people. Some of them become friends. In 10 to 15 minutes or for how long a trip takes, you can make friends that leave a lasting impression on you.”
Uber, according to Conde, is the safest in terms of security. People in the services sector, she adds in the video below, are frequently looked down upon, yet she earns N180,000 per week and has had more positive experiences with riders than bad ones.
In May 2022, Uber launched a new feature aimed at attracting more female drivers. With the new in-app feature, female drivers can indicate a preference for accepting women-rider-only trip requests.
As women represent a small percentage of the platform’s drivers, the rideshare company hopes that the female-friendly feature would attract more female drivers like Adedoyin Conde, resulting in more gender equality across the industry.