Uber slashes 3,000 jobs as Nigeria, Uganda operations end

UBER is cutting more than 3,000 jobs globally as the ride-hailing company embarks on one of its biggest organisational overhauls in years.

The reduction, representing about 10 percent of its workforce, is designed to simplify Uber’s structure, reduce management layers and lower operating costs as the company redirects investment towards its core businesses and emerging opportunities.

Chief Executive Officer, Dara Khosrowshahi, said Uber had expanded rapidly and, in the process, created too many layers of management and small teams that had slowed decision-making.

The restructuring will affect employees across management and non-management roles, with several smaller teams expected to be consolidated into larger units.

The move is expected to take Uber’s workforce to fewer than 30,000 employees, bringing its headcount broadly back to levels recorded in 2021.

Analysts cited in reports on the restructuring estimate that the job cuts could deliver annual savings of up to $2 billion, giving the company additional resources to invest in growth areas.

Uber is increasing its focus on autonomous driving partnerships while expanding its ride-hailing, delivery and robotaxi businesses.

The company is also tightening its workplace arrangements, with nearly all employees expected to work from designated offices and remote positions restricted to a very small share of its workforce.

The global cost-cutting exercise comes shortly after Uber withdrew from Nigeria and Uganda.

In Nigeria, the company ended its ride-hailing operations on September 2, citing changing business priorities and a decision to redirect investment across the African continent.

Its exit from the two markets highlights Uber’s broader effort to reassess its geographic footprint and concentrate resources where it sees stronger commercial opportunities.

The latest restructuring therefore combines a reduction in headcount with a sharper focus on capital allocation as Uber seeks to build a leaner organisation capable of moving faster and investing more heavily in its priority businesses.