NOTHING FOR US WITHOUT US!

Many young Nigerians mostly university graduates were forced to seek employment in the gig economy as App-based drivers or other informal sector jobs due to their inability to find formal jobs. This group of workers are the most vulnerable to the negative effects of the pandemic because some of COVID-19 measures like lockdowns and curfews have resulted in loss of livelihoods for many informal sector workers who depend on daily wages for survival and have no access to social protections (including healthcare).

The above scenario was worsened by absence of regulations in both the informal sector and the emerging gig economy. This was further compounded with little institutional supports from the government at all levels. Constant harassment and extortion by state agents like police who ought to be protecting the already disadvantaged workers continued non-stop. Multiple taxations and levies by both the federal, state, and local governments eat deep into the little earnings of the workers. Unfair labour practices by some employers especially the APP-based companies are the norms. For example, the APP-based companies have misclassified the drivers as independent contractors and denied them workers and union rights.

Here are some footages of drivers protesting unfair labour practices:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyYyy6u1gt0"rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watchv=YyYyy6u1gt0</a>

A driver working on the platforms of both UBER and BOLT said “I do about 500 trips in a month and 19 hours daily on weekends to make reasonable earning”. Another female stated thus, “I carry pepper-spray to protect myself because I am a woman”.
Sign this petition calling on Nigerian Government at all levels to regulate the e-hailing industry to put an end to the various unfair labour practices and ensure adequate social protections for workers in the platform in particular and the informal sector at large.

Our core demands:
i. We demand full workers and union rights (Yes to unionization),
ii. No to unilaterally deactivation and blocking of account by App-based companies without fair hearing,

iii. We demand a say in pricing mechanism,
iv. We demand enhanced safety and security measures through adequate profiling of customers (riders).
v. among other broader social protection issues.

Sign this petition calling on all APP-based companies operating in Nigeria to recognize drivers working on their software applications as workers as against the current scam of treating them as driver-partners/independent contractors/customers.
Finally, we are calling on Nigeria government at both the federal and state levers to regulate the e-hailing industry for drivers to be treated with dignity on the job.