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.

Ride-hailing operators in Ghana are reviewing their fares upward following the latest government policy implementation.

The new Digital Transport Guidelines which could best be described as Digital Transport Tax, commenced on April 1, 2023.

However, operators are raising objections to the Ghana Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA’s) new Guidelines which they say will pill more pressure on citizens who are just trying to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  

A source familiar with the matter told TechEconomy that “Ghana’s ride-hailing industry is the hardest hit by inflation yet the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has released its Digital Transport Guidelines which are adding on to the industry’s woes”.

TechEconomy sighted a memo dated March 10th 2023 signed by Mr. Kwasi Agyeman Busia, the CEO of DVLA in which he formally introduced the updated Digital Transport Services Guidelines designed to ensure that ‘Digital Transport System Operators operate in compliance with the law, maintain high safety standards, and provide quality service to passengers’.

However, our source who prefers anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said “these guidelines are concerning for local users of Bolt, Uber, the Black Ride, Yango, inDrive, because of the impending price increases and the compromised data privacy for citizens”.

“Essentially, what this means is that a new tax will be introduced on the transportation sector which is payable in favour of the DVLA”.  

Ride-hailing operators forced to price increases 

This ‘tax’, TechEconomy gathered, is paid in a “per-trip fee”, currently set at GHS 1.00 (about (N42.81k), and subject to further revision and increase.

This will inevitably increase prices for those using ride-hail services and lead to the decrease of drivers’ incomes, amid Ghana’s skyrocketing inflation rates of 52.8% as at February 2023 and there is little progress in the highly anticipated IMF bailout deal.

This coming spike in transportation costs directly contradicts the President of Ghana’s urge to the transport operators to reduce prices. 

“It is important to note that this fee has not been approved by the Parliament but rather issued by DVLA itself – it is unclear if legislators know about it. DVLA has kept the Guidelines out of public sight, despite the industry having received the fee news on March 10 and insisting on its enforcement since April 1st”, our source said. 

Already, Uber has made moves in line with the new guidelines. The company, according to this report, decreased its commission fee from 25% to 20%.

The company also increased its base fare of GHC 7.00 to GHC 8.00 and its comfort minimum fare prices from GHC 9.00 to GHC 10.00.

Concerns of compromise of Citizens’ data privacy

TechEconomy investigations reveal another big issue within the new guideline – data sharing.

All digital transport service operators are expected to provide to DVLA, in real-time, data on all its passengers and drivers, including departure and arrival GPS coordinates and time stamps and even driver and passenger ratings.

However, it is not clearly disclosed in the Guidelines how this data will be used by the DVLA.

This directly contradicts the logic of keeping personal privacy guaranteed by Ghana laws. 

Another requirement of the Guideline is an obligation to identify passengers utilizing its platform with their Ghana card.

All of this basically provides the DVLA with a means of unauthorized surveillance over all the users of digital transport services. 

This would not be the first time the DVLA has sent directives to ride-hailing apps.

Recall that in 2019, the year COVID-19 ravaged the global economy, DVLA imposed a mandatory annual fee for ride-hailing apps.

Attached is the official letter from the DVLA communicating these changes: