Tech ride-hailing company Bolt has been significantly affected by the recent surge in “fake” ride requests between Nigeria and South Africa.
In response, the company suspended several accounts and restricted international travel requests, a move that directly affected its operations.
Nigerians woke up on Thursday morning to find themselves at the centre of a massive online rivalry. The rivalry quickly gained momentum and was kicked off by South Africans, who started a viral challenge that included Bolt rides.
Despite the different geography, the digital provocation was aimed at irritating Nigerian drivers by making them wait unnecessarily at pick-up points.
However, Bolt has taken swift action to address the issue. The company stated: “Bolt is aware of recent fake travel requests between people in Nigeria and South Africa. We have quickly implemented measures to address the issue, including restricting travel requests between countries and have blocked those responsible for the Bolt app.
“Those responsible have been blocked from the Bolt app. We prioritize the safety and integrity of our platform and are committed to supporting our driver partners.”
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Let us remember that the two African countries have a long history of feuding, as with the Afcon 2024 and the recent Miss South Africa pageant with Chidimma Adetshina, the embattled finalist who withdrew due to backlash over her Nigerian heritage.
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This time, the goal was to request rides from Nigerian drivers and then cancel them, supposedly to waste their time and fuel.
PREMIUM TIMES verifications show that the challenge started as a conversation between South Africans on X. According to netizens, Nigeria's currency is weak, so they believe its citizens cannot afford to pay the cancellation fees.
The first trend was called “Request Challenge in Nigeria.” Hours later, South Africans started providing updates about the challenge. They were requesting rides in Nigeria from their own country, leaving drivers stranded.
A video trending on X shows a South African man, among others, mocking a Nigerian Bolt driver named ‘Kotoro-Ola’ after he cancelled a ride he had booked. Along with the video, several screenshots surfaced online, showing South Africans requesting Bolt rides in Nigeria from their own country simply to cause frustration and financial loss to Nigerian drivers.
This was seen as a “petty” dispute, prompting Nigerians to vow to respond with equal vigor in more areas.
By midday on Thursday, “South Africans” topped the trend with more than 24,000 tweets. But within hours, the hashtag #BoltforBolt emerged in response, with more than 30,000 tweets reflecting Nigeria’s counterattack.
By Thursday afternoon, the hashtag Bolt had gained significant traction, trending with 33,000 mentions, while #SouthAfricans racked up 84,000 mentions and counting.
According to Statista, Nigeria has approximately 5.75 million users on X, while South Africa has over 3 million. While South Africans joked around online, Nigerians proudly highlighted their country’s large population and strong online presence, reminding South Africa of its ability to troll on issues like this.
Other users mocked South Africans for starting a “war they could not win,” knowing that Nigerians, with their estimated population of 200 million, have the numbers to mobilize effectively.
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Nigerians began ordering rides on Bolt and Uber in South Africa in retaliation, repeating the same disruptive tactic. This backlash led to a further rise in the challenge, with citizens of both countries using social media to show their support or express their discontent.
Nigerians reportedly caused a significant surge in Bolt travel in Cape Town and Johannesburg, leading to travel shortages and high prices, leaving many South Africans stranded and frustrated. There were also reports of disruptions to Bolt services in South Africa.
A video shared by an X influencer showed more than 40 Bolt rides ordered by Nigerians to the same street in Johannesburg, where the drivers ended up together.
More hashtags emerged, including “Aura for Aura,” “Nigerians against South Africans,” “Soweto,” “Uber for Uber,” and “Johannesburg.”
At the time of writing, #SouthAfricans had 126,000 tweets.
Reactions from both sides have been mixed. Many Nigerians have taken a proactive stance, stepping up their efforts in response to the challenge. They have actively mobilised on social media to demonstrate their numbers and support, with some users reporting multiple Uber and Bolt ride bookings in South Africa.
Commentators highlighted the disparity in cancellation policies between the two countries, stressing that while South Africans incur costs for cancellations, Nigerians have an advantage because their cancellation is free.
On the other hand, some South Africans conceded defeat and acknowledged the negative impact of the challenge on their drivers and the economy in general. Prominent voices called for the groups to be separated to avoid further damage and some users expressed regret at the situation.
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Given Bolt's policy of not reimbursing drivers for fuel spent on cancelled trips, some drivers have reportedly begun declining long-distance requests until the situation calms down.
The challenge once again highlighted broader tensions between the two nations.
See more reactions below.