Fake Ride Requests: Bolt Addresses Nigeria, South Africa Petty Fight Affecting Drivers
- The usual social media banter between Nigerians and South Africans recently took an unexpected
- The rivalry went from Twitter to the platforms of ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt, disrupting drivers' activities
- Bolt has now waded into the situation by reducing inter-country requests in the hopes of saving drivers more confusion
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology and the Stock Market.
Ride-hailing company Bolt has announced it has limited cross-border ride requests due to a surge in such activities in Nigeria and South Africa.
In a recent statement, Bolt also revealed it had suspended several accounts involved in fraudulent ride requests and subsequent cancellations.
Source: UGC
Nigerians, South Africans feud on Twitter
The tension between Nigerians and South Africans escalated on Thursday morning as citizens from both countries clashed online in a new round of supremacy rivalry.
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South Africans reportedly initiated the conflict by ordering Bolt and Uber rides in Nigeria and then cancelling them upon arrival.
In response, Nigerians booked rides in South Africa to demonstrate their numerical strength.
The renewed rivalry between the two countries took a new direction when Chidinma Adetshina, a Nigerian, decided to withdraw from the Miss South Africa pageant.
Her decision to pull out was influenced by considerable criticism and doubts about her nationality.
Bolt Nigeria wades in
In response to the situation, Yahaya Mohammed, Bolt's Country Manager for Nigeria, stated that the company has implemented steps to address fraudulent ride requests.
He emphasised that a comprehensive investigation has been launched to evaluate and strengthen their security protocols.
Mohammed stated:
“We have successfully taken measures to resolve the issue of fake ride requests affecting our driver-partners, particularly those operating in Nigeria and South Africa. The integrity and safety of our platform, both for driver-partners and riders, is our utmost priority."
Mohammed explained that after conducting a detailed investigation and implementing stronger security measures, the company quickly resolved the problem by limiting cross-border ride requests.
He further mentioned that individuals involved in the malicious activity have been identified and blocked from using the Bolt app.
Uber, Bolt get new competition in Nigeria
In related news, Legit.ng earlier reported that 23 Technologies had formally launched 23 Ride, a cutting-edge car-hailing service in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.
23 Ride hopes to set itself apart by providing better-maintained vehicles, substantial advantages for drivers, and more affordable fares for patrons.
The company emphasised how important security and transparency are in the transportation industry.
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Source: Legit.ng
