Meet Chidinma, the female Uber driver who dropped her aviation degree to embrace the road

It is not often that one books a ride online and finds a female driver waiting to pick them up. Chidinma is one of the very few women drivers powering e-hailing in Lagos. In a chat with Technext, the Imo State-born driver said she relishes the amazement in the eyes of her riders when they see a woman behind the wheel.

“They would be like: Wow, like seriously this is my first time seeing a lady. And I get a lot of compliments and encouragement, and they tip me too and also save my number for other times to pick them up, like offline rides,” she said.

Born in the late 1990s, Chidinma grew up in Lagos, the youngest of four children. She would study Computer Science at the Imo State Polytechnic, where she bagged an OND in 2019. However, due to the scarcity of funds, she was unable to continue with her HND.

She would then return to Lagos, where she obtained an aviation degree from Landover Aviation Business School and became a licensed cabin crew member. But, owing to limited opportunities and perceived nepotism, she exited the space.

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That decision left her directionless, broke and in need of something to keep body and soul together. Like many women, she went into hospitality and began selling cooked food (popularly called Mama Put) in Owerri.

While she made some money from the venture, she would lose everything to support a love interest. Heartbroken, depressed and dejected, she returned to Lagos, where she started living with her older sister, a period she described as “starting a fresh.”

Entry into the transport business

Chidinma endured a long and hard road towards becoming an Uber driver. After trying and failing to get a job in Lagos, she decided to try her hand in the transport sector. Taxi driving wasn’t her first tryst, though, as she first opted for tricycles.

Finding someone to teach her how to ride became a problem, and even after a kindly gentleman saw Chidinma’s zeal and taught her. Obtaining a keke became another problem. She acquired one on hire-purchase and started the tricycle business.

However, that venture wouldn’t last long.

“I started driving keke in 2023 for a short period of time on hire purchase. But when my mother heard about it, she complained and said a young girl like me is not supposed to be driving a keke. She said it’s too risky and that I should do something else,” Chidinma said.

While she took her mother’s advice and dropped the tricycle, Chidinma had, however, tasted driving and concluded she had a knack and love for it. And if she couldn’t drive a tricycle, how about driving something better?

Tricycles in Lagos

That was how the idea of becoming an Uber driver was born, and she followed through to make sure it became a reality.

First, Chidinma registered at a proper driving school. After months of learning, she was able to secure a driver’s license. Then, she started practising with vehicles belonging to friends and family members while saving up to buy hers.

Finally, in early 2025, she acquired her own with the help of her family.

“After getting my license, I started practising car with friends and relatives. Earlier this year, I called my mother and told her my plans and how much I had already saved up. When she saw my zeal, she decided to assist me. I also got help from my sister. With the funds altogether, I was able to get a car. Then driving became my hobby,” she said.

Life as a female Uber driver

Chidinma starts work not later than 8 am and returns before it gets too dark. Like many other drivers, she operates across multiple platforms, Uber, Bolt and inDrive, depending on her income plan. And because she owns her own vehicle, she could afford to be flexible as she isn’t burdened with paying off a hire purchase.

While admitting that driving on the Island pays better (especially for short trips) than on the Mainland, she, however, prefers driving on the Mainland simply because it gives her less stress.

“I wouldn’t say there is a favourite area, but the advantage of the Island to the Mainland is that smaller destinations pay well. You would hardly get a small destination on the Mainland up to N5,000, but on the Island, you would get and sometimes more. But the traffic on the island is pretty heavy sometimes, which discourages me from going there,” she explained.

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Aside from avoiding late-night driving, life as a female driver isn’t much different from a man, according to Chidinma. She pointed out that whatever differences there are are not a matter of capability but driving style.

Notwithstanding, she noted that men have certain advantages. One of them is sheer physical strength, which helps them work for long hours, handle physically demanding challenges like changing tyres or handling tough situations.

They are also more confident in difficult conditions, as many men feel more comfortable driving in rough terrains or at high speeds. She also credits men with making quicker decisions, especially in fast-moving traffic.

Women, on the other hand, enjoy a different set of advantages. For instance, they are more cautious, paying closer attention to rules, speed limits, and surroundings. This, therefore, makes them safer drivers than men. They also handle vehicles gently, avoiding unnecessary risks while ensuring constant maintenance for the cars.

She also credits female drivers with better communication and customer interaction as they are more likely to stay calm, polite, and approachable, leaving passengers feeling safer with them. Finally, they have higher levels of patience, handling traffic stress better and avoiding aggressive reactions.

“Generally, male drivers tend to be more aggressive and confident, while female drivers are often more careful and calculated on the road. These are just tendencies, not rules; every driver is different,” she said.

Chidinma behind the wheel

⁠Noting why this matters, she pointed out that she hardly drives at night because it is dangerous, especially for a woman. Narrating ugly incidents she had encountered while driving at night, she noted that once she had a flat tyre and a damaged fan belt in a lonely area. She was scared and really panicky, but thankfully, a kind-hearted man helped.

At another time, she was accosted by a gang of young men somewhere on the Island, but thankfully, no harm was done to her or her vehicle.

Despite those ordeals, Chidinma says many small moments still remind her why she loved the job. From passengers who share life advice to the unexpected kindness of strangers and dealing with various situations that arise on the road, she says driving has taught her patience, resilience, and confidence. And even though it is tiring work, it gives her freedom, flexibility, and the chance to meet different kinds of people.

“One story that always stays with me is the day a stressed-out passenger entered my car after a bad day at work. By the time I dropped him, he said, ‘Thank you, you made my day better.’ Moments like that remind me that this job is not just about moving people from point A to B; sometimes, you’re part of their lives in small but meaningful ways,” she says.

Chidinma does not intend to drive for too long. She plans to do it for two to five years, raise enough money to build a bigger private business, while investing in other opportunities.

“Driving is a stepping stone, not my final destination,” she says.