The ride-hailing company, Bolt, has announced the suspension of several accounts involved in fraudulent activities, such as soliciting and then canceling ride requests.
In response to a surge in ride requests between Nigeria and South Africa, Bolt has also restricted the ability to request rides across country borders.
The issue gained traction on Thursday when an online rivalry between Nigerians and South Africans escalated into a new form of competition.
Citizens from both countries began requesting e-hailing rides in each other's nations, all while remaining in their own homes. The trend reportedly started with South Africans ordering rides in Nigeria through Bolt and Uber, only to cancel them upon the drivers' arrival at pick-up locations. In retaliation, Nigerians mirrored the action by requesting rides in South Africa, demonstrating their numerical strength.
Yahaya Mohammed, the Country Manager for Bolt in Nigeria, issued a statement addressing the situation. He confirmed that the company is actively combating fraudulent ride requests and has initiated a thorough investigation to enhance their security protocols.
"Bolt is aware of the fake ride request incidents between individuals in Nigeria and South Africa," Mohammed said.
"We have taken swift action to resolve the issue of fake ride requests impacting our driver-partners, particularly in Nigeria and South Africa. The integrity and safety of our platform are our top priorities. After a detailed investigation and the implementation of enhanced security measures, we have restricted inter-country ride requests. Those responsible for these malicious activities have been identified and banned from using the Bolt app."
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