Bolt drivers are facing significant financial losses due to a prank war between Nigerians and South Africans, which has disrupted services on the ride-hailing platform.
The conflict began when former Miss South Africa contestant Chidinma Adetshina arrived in Nigeria to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. Her Nigerian heritage ignited a social media feud, which escalated into prank orders on Bolt from both nations, causing frustration and financial losses for drivers.
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Viral clips over the weekend showed numerous fake orders originating from both countries. South Africans initially targeted Nigerian drivers with prank requests, only to cancel after the drivers had arrived at the destinations. In response, Nigerians retaliated, further escalating the situation.
To address the issue, Bolt suspended inter-country bookings between Nigeria and South Africa. A Lagos-based driver shared his experience, stating, “I got a request on Thursday from a passenger who claimed he was going to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport from Ketu. I got to the said destination and started calling the number but only realised after about 30 minutes that it was a fake order. I was really pained because I bought fuel at N950.”
Calls for driver compensation are growing. A Twitter user, @ImEriOluwa, criticized the situation, saying, “Yes, two can play the game. But when two elephants fight, it’s the ground that suffers. Now, poor Bolt drivers have to suffer for some people’s childish behaviour.”
In response, Bolt’s Country Manager in Nigeria, Yahaya Mohammed, indicated that the company is evaluating compensation for affected drivers. “Currently, we are carrying out an in-depth analysis of the rides that were booked, and then the kilometres that the drivers wasted, and then seeing whether there’s room for that (compensation),” Mohammed said. He added that Bolt has blocked high volumes of orders from both countries and is restricting future orders based on IP addresses.
Prof. Adebayo Adams, Lagos State Chairman of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), criticized the impact on drivers and entrepreneurs. He called for better regulation of social media and government action to protect individuals affected by such misuse.
“This situation reflects a broader diplomatic issue between the two countries and highlights the lack of support for entrepreneurs,” Adams said. He urged the government to enforce data protection and address the misuse of social media to prevent further harm.
