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In the early morning haze of Abuja's Kubwa, where the call to prayer mixes with the roar of okada and generators, Chinedu Okoro wakes up at 4:45 a.m. sharp. Forty-two years old, former civil servant wey dem sack for 2022 because of "restructuring." Now him na full-time Bolt and inDrive driver. Two pikin for secondary school—Nneka wan write WAEC soon, Chukwudi still dey secondary. Wife Adaora dey manage small provision shop for market, but na beans and garri dem dey chop these days.

Chinedu drag himself go outside, open the boot of him old Toyota Corolla (bought second-hand for ₦5.2 million with bank loan wey interest dey chop like fire). Him check fuel gauge—almost empty. Yesterday fuel na ₦1,165 for NNPC station for Abuja (some places even reach ₦1,200–1,300 because of this Middle East wahala). Him go queue for black market because official ones don finish. ₦35,000–₦40,000 just to fill the 40-litre tank. Before sun even rise proper, money don go.

Him enter car, engine cough like person wey get catarrh. The shocks don weak, brake pad screaming every time him press. One shock absorber change now cost ₦90,000–₦120,000. Tyre? ₦80,000 each for good one. No app dey help with maintenance. "Your motor, your wahala," na wetin dem write for terms wey nobody dey read.

First trip ping by 6 a.m.: Kubwa to Airport Road, app show ₦3,800. After Bolt or inDrive collect their own commission (Bolt dey talk 20–25%, inDrive sometimes lower but with extra fees, plus VAT and booking fee), Chinedu see maybe ₦2,500–₦2,800 enter him account. Fuel for that trip alone swallow ₦1,500–₦2,000. Time, wear and tear, risk—all on top.

Passenger enter—big man in suit, aircon full blast. Him dey shout for phone: "These drivers sef, una too slow! Na why Nigeria no dey move forward!" Chinedu swallow him vex, smile small. One bad rating fit block am for days. Another passenger last week vomit for back seat, report "dirty car," app deduct ₦6,000 cleaning fee sharp-sharp and suspend am 72 hours. Him still dey pay loan installment every month.

Competition too much. New drivers dey join every day—graduates, sacked bankers, even retired people. Fares dey crash because of am. Trip wey suppose be ₦8,000–₦10,000 for 2021 now na ₦4,000–₦5,500. Surge? E no dey show face when fuel high like this.

No government regulation protect driver. No minimum fare, no cap on how much app fit chop, no insurance if area boys attack you for night. Last month for Gwagwalada, dem shoot three drivers wey pick "passenger" wey turn out to be armed robbers. Chinedu own car still get small bullet mark for door—him patch am with black tape. App message: "Sorry for your inconvenience. Keep your rating high to stay active."

Taxes dey kill am soft-soft: council levy, state permit, police "settlement" for checkpoint, app VAT, new "tech levy" wey government introduce. By the time him finish pay everything, 35–45% of him daily money don go before him buy pure water.

One Tuesday afternoon, after nine trips and only ₦20,000–₦22,000 enter wallet (after fuel, commission, and small "settlement" for LASTMA), him get call from bank: "Your loan overdue 50 days. We go come collect motor soon." Him park for roadside near Jabi, engine still running, tears just fall. Him remember Adaora sell her gold chain last Christmas to help pay one installment. Him remember Nneka beg am for WAEC form money—₦50,000+ him no get.

That night for their small face-me-I-face-you room, under weak yellow bulb, Adaora hold him hand wey don rough from steering wheel. "Babe, I no fit continue like this," him whisper, voice shake. "App dey chop my sweat, fuel dey drink my blood, passenger dey insult my papa name, police dey collect my peace, bank wan carry my motor. Every day I drive, I dey lose small small piece of myself. But if I stop... our pikin go hunger."

Adaora wipe him face, hug am tight. "Na God go see us. We no be number for app. We be fathers and mothers wey dey try keep this country moving, even when e dey try break us."

Outside, another driver's horn blow—somebody else chasing the same empty dream. For Abuja night, thousands of Chinedu still dey drive, eyes red, heart heavy pass fuel tank wey half empty. Apps dey post fine-fine advert: "Join us, earn big!" But the men behind the wheel know the real talk: dem no be partners. Dem be fuel wey dey burn for machine wey no dey ever stop to check if driver don tire.

And for that same dark, Chinedu close eye, call him pikin names like prayer, and wonder how long person fit bleed before everybody finally see say the blood na red like every other Nigerian own. E pain pass words. But na our story.