The News
- Bolt Nigeria has announced a fuel subsidy bonus campaign for its drivers in Lagos and Abuja to help them buffer the effect of the rising cost of fuel. The country’s ride-hailing platform says the campaign will run for the remaining days of the year.
- Bolt drivers in these two cities who complete 50 trips in one week will be eligible to receive a subsidy bonus of up to ₦10,000 ($12.64).
- This is coming a few days after Bolt Nigeria clarified that its drivers are not employees but independent contractors.
The campaign is part of Bolt’s continued effort to support its drivers to earn more. With more than 6,000 drivers already set to claim up to ₦40,000 each at the end of the year, the ride-hailing platform says it’s recording high participation among drivers across both cities.
Remember that when Nigeria's President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, assumed office, he removed the country's pre-existing fuel subsidy, sending fuel prices skyrocketing. This resulted in low demand for e-hailing services and driver dissatisfaction.
Commenting on the campaign, Yahaya Mohammed, Bolt Nigeria’s Country Manager, said, “Drivers are at the core of our business, and we want to see them succeed and grow their earnings. The increasing fuel prices in the country is one of the motivations behind the campaign to support our driver-partners. We understand the current economic situation, and as always, we are committed to [helping] our driver-partners earn more.”
This is not the first time in 2023 that Bolt Nigeria will launch a driver support campaign. In September, the company launched the "Drive for a Prize Challenge" to reward its drivers with prizes ranging from mobile phones to home appliances, among other things.
While this is a commendable move by Bolt, it is unclear whether it will appease the drivers, who could be planning another strike.
On June 7, 2023, ride-hailing drivers, including Bolt drivers, went on a warning strike to get their companies to meet their demands of a 200% increase in base fare and a 50% cut in the company-charged commission.
Following the strike, in the same month, the company increased its minimum fare prices across nine cities, including Lagos and Abuja, in response to fuel subsidy removal.
