Ride-hailing company inDrive has restored its 1% commission initiative in two South African cities, offering drivers relief from rising petrol prices and highlighting the importance of platform charges to earnings. For Nigerian drivers facing fuel bills and other operating expenses, the announcement offers a practical example of how lower deductions can protect earnings.
Which Drivers Qualify for the 1% Commission?
The initiative runs from October 1 to December 31, 2026, allowing participating drivers in Johannesburg and Pretoria to retain 99% of each fare before paying their operating expenses. Other South African cities where inDrive operates, including Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein and Gqeberha, are outside the announced offer.
Ashif Black, inDrive's country representative in South Africa, said the company was responding to the immediate pressure that fuel increases place on drivers' earnings. He explained that reducing the platform's share would leave drivers with more money from completed trips as the cost of staying on the road increases.
What Keeping 99% Actually Means
Retaining 99% of a fare does not mean a driver earns a 99% profit. Petrol, maintenance, insurance, vehicle financing and other expenses must still come out of that amount. For illustration, a 1% commission on a hypothetical ₦10,000 trip would leave a driver with ₦9,900 before expenses. At a hypothetical 12% commission, the same trip would leave ₦8,800, according to a report by TheCitizen. The ₦1,100 difference demonstrates how platform deductions affect the money available to cover running costs and household needs. These figures illustrate the calculation; they are not an announcement of new Nigerian rates.
For passengers, a commission cut also does not automatically guarantee cheaper journeys. The fare agreed for a trip remains a separate consideration.
What inDrive Is Offering Nigerian Drivers
In Nigeria, inDrive has announced a separate reward campaign worth more than ₦132 million for drivers in Lagos and Abuja, running from October 5 to December 16, 2026. According to a company statement published by TheCable, the campaign offers 916 prizes, including two cars, four full-academic-year school fee awards, 40 smartphones, 40 televisions and 830 shopping vouchers.
Drivers qualify by reaching the platinum tier, with completed rides counting as entries. Six live-broadcast draws will determine prize winners, while the two cars will go to drivers completing the highest number of rides during the campaign. That programme rewards qualifying participation and performance. It does not extend South Africa's 1% commission offer to Nigerian drivers.
Why the Distinction Matters in Nigeria
Driver welfare remains a concern in Nigeria's ride-hailing industry. In September, the Lagos chapter of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria challenged inDrive to demonstrate that its commitment to the country extended beyond expansion to drivers' welfare. The two initiatives address earnings differently. A commission reduction provides a direct saving on each eligible trip, while a reward campaign offers benefits to selected participants under stated conditions.
For Nigerian drivers, the practical measure of support is what remains after completing a day's work and settling expenses. The South African initiative shows how reducing platform deductions can help. Whether comparable relief reaches Nigeria will depend on a separate announcement covering local drivers, eligible cities and applicable terms.
Legit.ng earlier reported that Uber has begun making one-off payments of ₦40,000 to eligible Nigerian drivers following its withdrawal from Nigeria and Uganda, but activity requirements and deductions mean some drivers are missing out or receiving less. The payments, described as a "goodwill gesture", follow the company's shutdown announcement on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. Uber had informed drivers that it would make a final payment without specifying the amount or when the money would arrive.
