With Uber gone, Bolt says Nigeria “remains an important market”

Bolt, the Estonian ride-hailing company, has announced it will continue its operations in Nigeria despite rival Uber's surprising exit from the market. In a statement shared on Wednesday night, Bolt emphasized Nigeria as an important market for its growth and reiterated its commitment to the country. Teddy Appa-Dankyi, senior general manager of Bolt West Africa, stated that Bolt has built a strong community of riders and driver partners and is focused on serving them while strengthening its operations and creating more opportunities.

The company, which entered Nigeria in 2016, has faced challenges such as rising fuel prices and currency volatility, which have raised operating costs for drivers and ride-hailing platforms. This has led to tensions between platforms and their drivers over fares and commissions. In March, ride-hailing drivers in Lagos went on a three-day strike, protesting what they described as unsustainable fares and high commissions.

Bolt also faced disruptions at local airports due to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria's efforts to introduce a new framework for airport pickups. However, Bolt reached an agreement with the agency and resumed operations at FAAN-managed airports in August. Currently, Bolt is one of the largest remaining players in Nigeria's ride-hailing market, alongside other operators like inDrive and LagRide, operating in 33 cities across the country, including Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Kaduna, and Owerri.

Despite the uncertainty following recent developments in the industry, Bolt remains focused on the long term and will continue working with its drivers, riders, regulators, and partners to contribute to a reliable, accessible, and sustainable mobility ecosystem in Nigeria.