By Chinelo Obogo
Ride-hailing app, Bolt, has cracked down on the disturbing trend of fake ride requests which started in the early hours of Thursday, blocking an unspecified number of accounts involved in the practice.
The company has also placed restrictions on intercounty ride requests, aiming to curb the increasing prevalence of this disruption.
This trend was started by South African users who initiated fake ride requests to prank Nigerian drivers and in retaliation, Nigerian users began engaging in similar pranks against South African drivers, exacerbating the ongoing online rivalry between both countries.
This has had a negative impact on Bolt’s driver-partners, who lament that they have faced wasted time, fuel costs, and emotional distress.
While Bolt does not reimburse drivers for fuel spent on canceled rides, some drivers have resorted to refusing long-distance requests until the situation is adequately resolved.
Drivers in both Nigeria and South Africa have expressed their frustration and anger over the fake ride request trend, particularly coming at a time of fuel scarcity and high cost of living.
A Cape Town-based driver shared his experience online, describing how he had to drive a considerable distance to pick up a customer only to discover it was a fraudulent request. This incident, he said, resulted in wasted fuel and time.
Bolt’s country manager for Nigeria, Yahaya Mohammed, expressed the company’s commitment to providing a safe experience for all users, acknowledging the negative impact this trend has had on its driver-partners.
He raised concerns about the misuse of intercounty ride requests by the app users as many ride-hailing drivers complained about losses incurred as a result.
“We understand the impact this situation has had on our driver-partners in Nigeria and South Africa. We are committed to ensuring a safe, reliable, and secure experience for all members of our community,” Mohammed said.