Trevor Noah Resurfaced Clip Details How Nigerian Drivers Allegedly Outsmarted Uber
- Trevor Noah, Anele Mdoda and Sizwe Dhlomo discussed Uber's expansion strategy, calling it both "ingenious" and "sinister"
- Trevor revealed how Nigerian drivers allegedly cracked Uber's incentive system and exploited it for personal gain
- The podcast clip resurfaced after Uber announced it was pulling out of Nigeria after 12 years of operations
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A resurfaced clip of Trevor Noah's podcast has the internet talking, and it is not hard to see why. In it, Noah and his guests Anele Mdoda and Sizwe Dhlomo break down how Nigerians allegedly ran circles around Uber's expansion playbook - and the timing could not be more pointed.
Noah described Uber's growth model as both clever and underhanded. According to him, the company rolled out driver incentive packages across multiple countries to rapidly establish a foothold in the e-hailing space. The idea was to flood the market with drivers, choke out local competition such as taxis, and cement Uber's dominance before anyone else could catch up.
"They gave incentives to drivers in all of these countries to drive for Uber."
Noah added that the strategy was designed to get a stranglehold on the e-hailing market so taxis and other industries wouldn't get to compete. By his account, the plan worked almost everywhere - except Nigeria.
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What Nigerian drivers allegedly did
Rather than simply taking the bait, Nigerian drivers reportedly did the maths and found a loophole. Instead of ferrying actual passengers, they allegedly gamed the incentive structure by booking ghost rides.
"They called themselves from the airport, picked up nobody from the airport, drove themselves back into the city and got the bonus amount, which paid for the gas. Then they took themselves back to the airport to get another fare that was a bonus."
He claimed the scheme became so widespread that Uber was forced to scrap the incentive programme entirely - not just in Nigeria, but globally. Noah, Mdoda and Dhlomo had a laugh at the whole situation, noting that since Uber was trying to exploit local drivers, Nigerians simply showed Uber how the game was really played.
Source: Getty Images
Uber cuts ties with Nigeria
The conversation, which originally aired on Trevor Noah's podcast in June 2025, has recirculated widely following Uber's announcement that it would be winding down operations in Nigeria after 12 years. The ride-hailing giant cited a "thorough review of business" and a refocusing of investment priorities.
However, local experts, transport analysts, and drivers point to severe macroeconomic and operational hurdles, including persistent driver discontent over low fares and steep commission structures. Many local drivers had reportedly taken to bypassing the app altogether, asking riders to cancel their bookings and settling for cash payments offline to avoid Uber's cut.
Uber confirmed that the withdrawal is limited to Nigeria and Uganda, with all other Sub-Saharan African markets, including South Africa, continuing to operate as normal.
Watch Trevor Noah's video below.
Trevor Noah shares South African gig-guide
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Trevor Noah's gig guide for his upcoming shows in South Africa.
The comedian's announcement was met with mixed reactions from fans and critics, with many looking forward to watching him live.
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Source: Briefly News
