Nigeria's ride-hailing gig economy has a gender problem, and the numbers make it hard to look away. A report by Techpoint Africa has found that women account for just 4% of ride-hailing drivers in Nigeria. Men hold the remaining 96%.

In a sector that has positioned itself as an accessible ladder into economic participation, that gap isn't a footnote; it's more like a structural failure.

The report, which covers gig work across five African markets, puts Nigeria's gig economy at roughly $5.1 billion, supporting around three million workers and contributing about 2.8% to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Ride-hailing sits as the second-largest segment within that ecosystem at 24%, trailing only eCommerce at 38%. Freelancing comes in third at 19%, followed by micro-tasks and remote work, both at 10%.

A Lifeline With Conditions

For the men who dominate it, ride-hailing isn't just a casual source of income. Survey data from the report shows that 64% of drivers said their standard of living improved significantly after joining the gig economy, with another 31% reporting slight improvements. Flexible hours, daily earnings, and financial independence are the recurring reasons drivers give for sticking with it.

That's a compelling case for gig work as a genuine income pathway, particularly in an economy where over 90% of employed Nigerians are in informal work and formal employment remains scarce for millions.

But those benefits aren't reaching women at any meaningful scale, and the question the report raises without quite answering is: why not? Or can't women be in the ride-hailing economy?

Safety is the most obvious barrier. Nigerian roads, particularly at night, carry real risks that disproportionately affect all drivers, including women. Beyond physical danger, cultural pressures, platform design, and the absence of targeted onboarding for women all quietly reinforce a workforce that stays male by default.

Cashless but Not Equitable

There are genuine bright spots in the data. More than 85% of ride-hailing transactions in Nigeria now go through cashless channels, bank transfers, and digital payments, giving drivers a foothold in the formal financial system.

That's significant in a country where financial inclusion has long been uneven, especially for low-income earners.

But cashless access alone doesn't fix a participation gap. If the women entering the gig economy are mostly concentrated in lower-earning segments like micro-tasks, the sector's headline growth numbers tell an incomplete story.

Drivers Are Still Fighting the Platforms

The report also doesn't obscure the ongoing friction between platforms and their drivers. The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has called multiple strike actions over pay and working conditions.

As recently as May 2025, drivers not only went on strike but also enforced it by sending fake ride requests to noncompliant colleagues. Rising fuel costs and inconsistent state-level regulations have also squeezed drivers' margins, already working with thin buffers.

Nigeria's gig economy is growing. That's real, but growth that leaves 96% of a major sector in the hands of one gender isn't inclusion, it's expansion with fine print.

The platforms know who's missing. The question is whether fixing it is a priority, or just a talking point.