SwiftRide: Algorithmic management on Lagos roads

SwiftRide, a fast-growing mobility platform in Lagos, has introduced an algorithmic scheduling system to optimise rider utilisation, reduce idle time, and improve profitability. From a data perspective, the rollout is a success—dashboards reflect strong performance, and executives hail the system as a leap forward in operational discipline. But beneath the numbers, riders describe a different reality: erratic shift patterns, unsafe driving conditions, physical exhaustion, and the constant fear of deactivation. As reports of accidents and absenteeism quietly rise, Aisha Bello, the company’s Lagos Head of Operations, finds herself caught between data that signals success and workers whose wellbeing is visibly deteriorating. With pressure mounting to scale the system nationwide, Aisha must decide whether to adjust the algorithm, enforce stricter compliance, or reintroduce human oversight—knowing that each option carries risks to margins, morale, or managerial credibility. The case examines the tensions between algorithmic control and human judgement, and the ethical, strategic, and organisational dilemmas that surface when digital optimisation collides with lived experience.