Bolt’s Nigerian Ex-Employees Lament Unfair Layoff, Say Firm Tricked Them With Restructuring Claim
- Nigerians who worked at Bolt have decried the unprofessional way the company laid them off
- The ex-employees said the company tricked them into thinking that a restructuring was being done but fired them instead
- Bolt stated that the layoffs were a result of the company's new direction
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Nigerian employees at Bolt, the ride-hailing app, have lamented how the firm tricked them into attending a meeting about building a new team but announced their sack instead.
The employees say the move came as the company promised not to fire them but retrain them after announcing a new investment in its Africa operations.
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Bolt states reason for layoffs
The company laid off 17 of its 70 employees in Nigeria, despite recent promises to increase employment in Africa, a Techpoint report said.
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The Regional Manager for Bolt West and North Africa, Ire Obatoki, said the layoffs resulted from operational adjustments to promote better performance within the company.
Obatoki stated that the firm understands the frustration of the affected employees as a report emerged that the sacked employees were told that management would restructure, form new teams, and rearrange employees.
Employees voice dissatisfaction
The employees noted their disappointment that the meeting, which they believed was an announcement of new units, was really to tell them they were fired.
BusinessInsider reports that each employee received a severance package based on their stay at the firm. Employees who had been with the firm for a year received one-month severance pay, while those who had been with Bolt longer received two months' salary, and those who had worked with the company for less than a year got half a month's pay.
The company provided the affected staff with an additional three months of health insurance and access to psychological support as a career coach to enable them to wade through the phase, Bolt said in a statement.
The layoffs contradicted the company's promise a few days ago to increase their economic input in Africa, provide more jobs and commit to a $530 million investment plan.
Uber, Bolt drivers in Nigeria form union, receive registration certificate from FG
Legit.ng reported that drivers of ride-hailing services in Nigeria have formally unionised to forge a common ground in the country.
The Federal Government of Nigeria recognised the new trade union by presenting a certificate of approval by the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
The new union is the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON).
Source: Legit.ng
