According to a new nationwide study by Ipsos, commissioned by Bolt Nigeria, eight out of ten Nigerians believe ride-hailing is safer than traditional transport.

This captures both the progress of technology, and the gaps in public safety that technology has been able to fill.

The Ride-Hailing Safety Perception Report, presented at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, revealed that 96% of passengers said they use ride-hailing because it feels safer, while 95% said it is their first choice for late-night trips. 

Based on surveys conducted across major cities including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan, the report revealed how safety perceptions influence transport choices. Women made up most of the users, and nearly half use the apps several times a week.

Osi Oguah, Bolt Nigeria’s general manager, noted the fine line between innovation and public trust.

“Safety is at the core of everything we do at Bolt. This research gives us valuable insight into how Nigerians experience and perceive safety when using ride-hailing. We’ll continue to invest in technology, partnerships, and awareness to ensure every ride on Bolt is not only affordable and reliable but also safe,” he said.

Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, represented by the Director of Transport Operations, commended the study for both its reassurance and challenge revealed. 

His goodwill message urged ride-hailing operators to collaborate more on data and transparency.

“The decision by Bolt to commission an independent safety perception study is commendable and forward-thinking,” he said. “It demonstrates a genuine commitment to listening to users, understanding their concerns, and continuously improving the ride-hailing experience. This reflects the spirit of partnership that drives our collective progress in the transport sector.”

The need for data sharing was expatiated as a recognition that safety is not limited to apps, but includes visibility, regulation, and accountability. 

Lagos, he said, is already building a more connected transport data system, designed to link operator platforms with government infrastructure.

Weyinmi Aghadiuno, Bolt’s head of Regulatory and Policy, also commented on the findings:

“It’s a landmark study that gives voice to what millions of Nigerians already know. Ride-hailing is changing how people move and it’s making travel safer. At Bolt, safety is not just a feature, it’s a philosophy,” she said. 

This drew attention to interesting data that revealed 97% of riders say safety tools such as GPS tracking, trip sharing, and driver verification make them feel safer.

The Ipsos presentation, led by Stephanie Kanyiri, added more context. The 250-respondent survey showed that two-thirds of Nigerians believe ride-hailing helps reduce drunk driving, as many use apps to get home after social outings. 94% have booked rides for friends or family late at night, a subtle sign of how ride-hailing has become a form of community safety.

“The findings reflect an encouraging trend, Nigerians increasingly see ride-hailing as a trusted and secure mobility option. Safety features that enhance visibility, accountability, and control are major drivers of confidence among passengers, especially in urban centres.”

However, Kanyiri pointed out an awareness gap that could not be ignored. Some riders know the safety features exist but rarely use them. Others misunderstand what “safety” means, linking it to only one function, which is driver ratings or trip sharing, instead of the full ecosystem of in-app tools. 

“Different people attribute safety to different features,” she explained, calling for continuous public education.

While ride-hailing companies celebrate public trust, that trust also reveals how Nigerians distrust the alternatives. However, the report isn’t cynical but corrective. It suggests that when safety is designed, tracked, and verified, people notice. And they reward it with loyalty.

Trust must evolve into structure. That means better data-sharing, wider awareness of safety tools, and more unified regulation, not to limit innovation, but to protect it.

The Ride-Hailing Safety Perception Report provides valuable insights that will guide Bolt’s future investments in safety education, technology innovation, and public awareness initiatives. 

Bolt reiterates that insights from the study will also inform upcoming campaigns to increase understanding and adoption of in-app safety features.

The post Ride-Hailing Fills Public Transport Gap as 81% of Nigerians Feel Safer, Ipsos-Bolt Report Reveals appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The launch supports Bolt’s broader commitment to delivering a high-quality ride-hailing experience built around safety, convenience, and everyday usability.

Family Profile is designed to make ride-hailing more practical for families and support networks. Internal data shows that 2–6% of Bolt rides are currently ordered for someone other than the account holder, often requiring manual coordination and sharing of trip details. 

The new feature simplifies that process, offering a built-in solution that allows customers to invite others to join their profile, set monthly spending limits, and receive live trip notifications. Members can request rides independently if they use the app, while the account holder retains oversight.

Family accounts do not change Bolt’s core policies around rider eligibility. Each member added to a Family Profile must have their own Bolt account and meet the platform’s minimum age requirement of 18. This means the feature cannot be used to book rides for unaccompanied minors. 

These age restrictions are in place for legal and safety reasons and ensure that all riders using the feature remain subject to Bolt’s existing terms and conditions.

The feature is especially helpful for parents, caregivers, or anyone supporting older relatives who may not use smartphones or ride-hailing apps regularly.

Data shows that ride-hail usage is growing fastest among older adults, but practical barriers, like app complexity or payment requirements, still limit adoption. 

Family Profile helps close that gap by letting one person handle ride management and payments for others, even if they don’t use the Bolt app themselves.

In addition to greater flexibility, Family Profile offers account holders enhanced financial control and peace of mind. They can monitor ride activity per member, receive real-time alerts when trips start or end, and take immediate action if needed, for example, checking a ride’s live location or contacting the rider or driver in the event of an unexpected route or stop.

The launch of Family Profile complements Bolt’s ongoing investment in building a world-class ride-hailing platform. Bolt engineers continue to improve the app’s routing, mapping, and usability to meet the evolving expectations of riders and drivers.

Family Profile joins a growing set of features aimed at building trust and enhancing platform safety.

Existing safety tools available in the app include trip verification codes, live location sharing, emergency assistance, and ride monitoring by Bolt’s dedicated Safety Team.

Osi Oguah, country manager, Bolt Nigeria said: “At Bolt, we want to make ride-hailing work for the way people actually move. Family Profile is a simple but powerful way to support others, whether that’s older relatives, or anyone you care about, without needing to coordinate every trip. It’s about control, visibility, and freedom in one feature, and we’re excited to bring it to our customers in Nigeria.”

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The recent launch of Bolt’s Electric Tricycles in Lagos is not just an update to how we move, it’s a statement on who should benefit from that movement.

At first glance, electric tricycles may appear to be a small evolution. But beneath the surface lies a bold transformation: a future of urban mobility that empowers drivers, lowers barriers to vehicle ownership, and brings affordable, accessible transport to communities often left behind.

A Platform for Empowerment

Nigeria’s ride-hailing and informal transport industries are largely driven by self-employed individuals, men and women who navigate tough economic conditions with resilience and hustle.

Yet they remain on the margins of vehicle ownership, often leasing outdated, fuel-dependent vehicles under exploitative terms.

Bolt’s electric tricycle initiative flips that narrative. With lower operational costs, zero reliance on volatile fuel prices, and a Lease-to-Own model, the program enables drivers to gradually build equity in the very vehicles they rely on for daily income. This is not just smart business, it’s economic justice.

When drivers spend less on maintenance and fuel, and have a clear path to ownership, their earnings go further. They build financial stability. They create a future. This is what financial inclusion should look like in practice.

Mobility Where It Matters Most

Lagos is a city of ambition, but also of disparity. In high-density, low-income neighbourhoods, transport options are either unaffordable, unreliable, or entirely absent.

Here, the launch of a low-cost electric tricycle service offers more than convenience; it offers access to jobs, to healthcare, to education.

By introducing a cheaper transport category, Bolt’s EV tricycles help bridge the gap for underserved populations. This isn’t just about “last mile” delivery, it’s about first-mile dignity.

It’s about making sure every Lagosian, no matter their postal code, can move through the city safely, affordably, and sustainably.

Tailored Solutions, Built for Africa

There is a growing temptation in Africa’s development conversation to copy and paste global solutions without accounting for local realities.

Bolt’s approach avoids this pitfall. The EV tricycle model is not a tech transplant from Europe, it is a deliberate response to the unique transport, economic, and infrastructural challenges of African cities.

Designed for durability, configured for local roads, and supported by a partnership with SGX for fleet management and vehicle servicing, these tricycles are not just smart, they’re sustainable. And by starting with three-wheelers, a vehicle type already deeply woven into urban mobility across Nigeria, Bolt is investing in evolution, not disruption.

A Call to the Ecosystem

Of course, Bolt cannot transform African mobility alone. This initiative is a call to action for policymakers, urban planners, and the broader tech ecosystem to lean in. It’s a reminder that clean, affordable, inclusive transport must be treated not just as a commercial opportunity, but as a development imperative.

It’s also a prompt to ask harder questions: What policies are we putting in place to support local EV adoption? Are we preparing our grid and charging infrastructure for the future? Are we empowering our drivers not just to drive but to own, save, and grow?

The Road Ahead

The rollout in Lagos is just the beginning. But if done right and supported by the right partnerships and policy environment, it could serve as a blueprint for African cities across the continent.

The future of urban mobility is not just electric. It’s equitable. It’s inclusive. And it’s already arriving, one tricycle at a time, hence Bolt’s electric tricycle initiative!

The post Rewiring Urban Mobility for Inclusion — Why Bolt’s Electric Tricycles Could Be a Turning Point for Nigerian Transport appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The initiative, which aims to deploy 1,000 electric tricycles by the end of 2025, is focused on reducing fuel costs for drivers, cutting emissions, and providing cheaper transport for urban riders.

At the heart of the new model is a lease-to-own structure, with no upfront payment required. Drivers can now get brand-new electric tricycles, operate them on Bolt, and fully own the vehicle after two years of consistent use. 

Asides being more affordable to run, thanks to zero petrol, these tricycles are also designed specifically for Nigerian road conditions, with enhanced suspension and dual battery compartments. One of the two batteries acts as a backup, ensuring drivers keep earning without waiting hours for recharging.

“By giving them tools to reduce fuel spending, avoid upfront vehicle costs, and eventually own their tricycles, we’re putting more control and earning potential directly into their hands. Nigeria, with its vast and dynamic population, is key to our strategy of making mobility economically viable and accessible for everyone,” said Caroline Wanjihia, Bolt’s regional director of Rides Operations for Africa and International Markets.

This is beyond just another tech launch, it’s a targeted solution to two of Nigeria’s most urgent transportation problems—driver poverty and inadequate mobility access in low-income neighbourhoods. 

Osi Oguah, general manager of Bolt Nigeria, stressed that, “This launch is a major step in addressing two critical challenges in Nigeria’s transport sector – driver income and commuter access. By introducing electric tricycles with flexible, lease-to-own options, we’re helping drivers save money, own their vehicles, and build sustainable livelihoods. At the same time, we’re offering commuters, especially in underserved areas, a more affordable and accessible way to move around their city. We have an ambitious target of having 1,000 electric tricycles by the end of 2025.”

From SGX’s side, the plan goes even further. It includes a network of battery-swapping hubs to eliminate wait times. Drivers can ride to the nearest station, swap a dead battery for a charged one, and be back on the road in minutes. No loss of income. No long waits. Just business as usual—but greener.

The cost of petrol in Nigeria has risen over 200% since May 2023. Add that to constant vehicle maintenance, and most local drivers barely break even. The electric tricycles change that equation. Lower operating costs mean more savings, and ultimately, more power in the hands of the drivers. We’re not talking about theories here. This model is already running.

SGX also used the opportunity to spotlight the environmental stakes. Transportation contributes 28% of Nigeria’s total greenhouse gas emissions, second only to industrial manufacturing. And of that, tricycles and motorcycles are among the dirtiest polluters. Replacing petrol-powered units with electric ones won’t just reduce costs; it could help slow climate change, too.

Unlike imported solutions that fail to consider local challenges, these tricycles were designed specifically with inclusivity in mind. It’s a solution for tough road suspensions and battery compartments built for urban travel patterns, a system developed with a deep understanding of what works—and what doesn’t—on Nigerian roads.

Essentially, Bolt and SGX have made it clear that this won’t disrupt existing transport unions; the electric tricycles are positioned as a complementary service, not a competitor.

Drivers still operate like traditional tricycle operators, but they pick up rides through Bolt’s app. This keeps the system familiar while adding a digital layer of structure and income stability.

The project also opens up investor opportunities. SGX’s mobility-as-a-service model is built to attract funding, and with financial partners like banks, microfinance companies, and regulators on board, the structure is already backed by strong institutional support.

The vision is to build an inclusive mobility system, reduce emissions, and make owning a vehicle—and a business—possible for thousands of young Nigerians. 

Rooted in local needs but aimed at global outcomes.

The post 1,000 Electric Tricycles, Zero Upfront Cost | Bolt, SGX Roll Out Lease-to-Own EVs in Lagos appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The event was not only an opportunity to share a meal but also served as a platform for open dialogue, feedback exchange, and community building within the Bolt driver network.

The Iftar event, held in recognition of the significance of Ramadan, reinforced Bolt’s commitment to supporting its driver-partners and fostering inclusivity across all communities.

The gathering provided an environment for drivers to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and engage directly with the Bolt team in a collaborative discussion about improving their experience on the platform.

Speaking during the event, Osi Oguah, the general manager for Bolt Nigeria said: “At Bolt, we recognize the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for our driver-partners.

This Iftar event was more than just a meal,  it was a chance to connect, listen, and understand the challenges and needs of our drivers in Kano. We appreciate their dedication, especially during this sacred period of Ramadan.”

Drivers in attendance expressed their appreciation for the initiative, highlighting the sense of belonging and recognition the event fostered. Many also welcomed the opportunity to discuss ways to improve their overall experience on the Bolt platform, making it a productive and meaningful engagement for all participants.

Nura Muhammed, a driver-partner said: “We want to say thank you to Bolt for this initiative, if my knowledge serves me right, this is the first time a ride-hailing company will organize such an event in Kano. This event has also made it possible for us to share some feedback to them physically and we drivers mostly get to connect through our online platform but today, we’re able to meet physically, mingle and exchange pleasantries”

Bolt remains committed to strengthening driver engagement and well-being, and this Iftar gathering is part of a broader effort to continuously support and empower driver-partners across Nigeria.

The post Bolt Identifies with Kano Drivers-Partners at Ramadan appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Since launching in Lagos in 2016, Bolt has expanded to 33 cities nationwide, continuing to redefine urban transportation.

According to the data, Friday retained its spot as the most popular day of the week for Bolt riders in Nigeria, mirroring last year’s trend. Across the country, rides frequently started from airports and restaurants, showcasing Bolt’s integral role in facilitating seamless travel and dining experiences.

A record rider completed 1,719 trips, an impressive leap from 1,336 trips in 2023. The top driver completed 7,287 trips, reflecting dedication and the growing demand for Bolt’s services.

A remarkable distance of 21094.461 km was recorded for the longest trip taken in Nigeria in 2024.

Globally, the Bolt Business category showed its growing influence, with the highest number of rides taken in Bangkok, Johannesburg, and Asunción.

Businesses predominantly used Bolt on Fridays, with most trips happening between 5 pm and 6 pm, underscoring the platform’s role in supporting professionals in bustling urban centers.

Osi Oguah, the general manager at Bolt Nigeria said: “As we celebrate the end of 2024, we’d like to thank every one of our customers who took a Bolt trip with us. With this data, we can see how much our services have become part of the urban fabric in Nigeria. Together with our 200 million customers and 4.5 million drivers, we look forward to a new year of taking more steps towards our mission to make cities for people, not cars in Nigeria.” 

Bolt’s impressive performance over the year reflects its commitment to providing safe, reliable, and efficient mobility solutions, empowering both riders and drivers while reshaping the way cities move.

The post IN NUMBERS: Bolt Rewind 2024 – Rider Completes 1,719 Trips appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Held from November 1 to November 30, 2024, the campaign recognised over 50 outstanding drivers, rewarding them with exciting prizes in appreciation of their dedication, hard work, and exceptional service.

The rewards included items such as Smart TVs, Smart Watches, Car Vacuum Cleaners, and essential food supplies. Added to these, winners received shopping vouchers to support their personal and family needs during the festive season.

The rewards were distributed to drivers from 15 cities across Nigeria, including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Benin, Calabar, Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, Ilorin, Ibadan, Warri, Enugu, Owerri, Yenagoa, Jos, and Uyo.

Osi Oguah, general manager at Bolt Nigeria said: “Our drivers are the backbone of Bolt, and we believe in recognizing their dedication and contributions to providing excellent service to riders. The Driver Club Rewards Campaign is one of the many ways we are showing our appreciation to our drivers. It’s our way of saying thank you and motivating them to keep delivering exceptional experiences to our customers.”

Drivers who participated in the campaign expressed their gratitude for the recognition and support from Bolt.

A driver from Lagos, Godwin Onoabhagbe, shared his excitement: “Being rewarded for my work means a lot to me. It shows that Bolt truly values us as partners. The prizes and shopping voucher will go a long way in making this season extra special for my family and me.”

Since the beginning of the Bolt Driver Club Rewards Campaign, Bolt has rewarded participating drivers with several amazing prizes worth over N50,000,000. 

The company remains focused on empowering drivers across Nigeria through various initiatives, campaigns, and support programs. 

Bolt is leading the way in creating opportunities for drivers to achieve financial independence while delivering convenient and reliable transportation services to millions of riders.

The post Bolt Rewards Over 50 Top Drivers with ₦50M in Prizes During Driver Club Campaign appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.