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Uber users in Lagos complain of price hike in December 2019. Photo: Nightlife.

Lagos Commuters Decry December Overpriced Uber Fares

With the end of the year drawing to an end, it looks like Uber in Lagos is trying to squeeze all the gain it can from commuters’ pockets with high fares. In what is becoming a trend, the ride-hailing service seems to have placed transport cost estimates at a constant ‘surge’ value.

 

Usually, surge prices are applied when the demand for drivers is more than the number of drivers available. Car hailing services like Uber will then increase prices for customers who can afford it to catch rides at the expense of those who cannot.

 

This is also a usual practice among all ride services in Nigeria and other places. In Lagos particularly, the surge prices are applicable mostly around the time when work closes and when there are widespread traffic congestions (locally known as go slow).

 

However, in the second half of December 2019, Uber seems to apply this high pricing on fares all around the clock. With the celebrity line up of events for what is popularly referred to as ‘Detty December’, it seems using the services is inevitable.

 

Commuters who are already used to the convenience of using taxis as against the mass transport options have felt the brunt. Some have taken to Twitter to lament the unfair pricing.

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Uber users in Lagos complain of price hike in December 2019.
Uber users in Lagos complain of price hike in December 2019. Photo: Nightlife.

 

Trips within Lagos State range between N11,000 to N14,000 with many inquiring how far the distance is as even interstate travels do not cost as much as that.

 

In one Tweet, an Uber customer posted the pricing from a trip taken in the morning. See it here:

 

 

Another user also complained about the surge price rate and the encouragement of giving a tip on top of the outrageous charge.

 

 

However, the American multinational ride-hailing service has responded to the above Tweet. Although, it did not address the surge pricing. It tweeted:

 

 

It is also unclear if Uber has done anything about the high fares as other people have posted screenshots of having to pay huge sums for rides as well.

 

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Onwuasoanya Obinna

A reader of books and stringer of words. Passionate about Science and Tech. When not writing or reading he is surfing the web and Tweeting.

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