Drivers under the LagRide platform have rejected the newly introduced monthly salary model by Choice International Group (CIG Motors), citing poor remuneration and the absence of ownership incentives as their major concerns.
Their dissatisfaction follows a recent transition in which CIG Motors, the official distributor of GAC Motors in Nigeria, assumed full operational control of the LagRide scheme from the Lagos State Government.”
Following the March 2025 takeover, the company scrapped the initial Drive-to-Own scheme and introduced a fixed salary structure for drivers, pegging their monthly earnings at ₦150,000.
Previously, LagRide drivers operated under a Drive-to-Own system, which allowed them to acquire GAC-branded vehicles through a structured payment plan that required an initial down payment followed by daily remittances.
This scheme not only supported their livelihood but also offered them the prospect of owning the vehicles outright upon completion of the full payment.
However, the introduction of a new operational model has drawn criticism from many drivers, who now describe the revised system as both unappealing and financially unsustainable.”
peaking to newsmen on Friday, several drivers expressed dissatisfaction with the fixed wage and disclosed plans to migrate to other ride-hailing platforms like Bolt and Uber, where they believe earnings are performance-based and potentially more rewarding.
“I would rather go back to Uber or Bolt,” one driver said. “The drive-to-own scheme gave me hope of owning a car. Now, I am just a salaried worker without future ownership.”
Despite the disagreement, CIG Motors has begun retraining sessions for drivers across different batches to align with the company’s operational standards under the new system.
LagRide was launched in 2021 through a public-private partnership between the Lagos State Government and CIG Motors.
The initiative was introduced by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to modernize Lagos’ transportation network and phase out the aging yellow taxis common across the city.
The government had projected that the scheme would enhance mobility and offer residents a safe, reliable, and technology-driven transport alternative.
However, with the recent policy shift, the future of the initiative and its drivers hangs in the balance.
