A Bolt driver in Nigeria has reportedly lost access to his account. He had pushed the company to raise fares after the country’s latest fuel price surge, according to Technext24.
The driver, identified only as Daniel, called Bolt’s customer support line. He wanted to know why fares had not changed even though fuel prices had jumped sharply. He explained that he used to pay around 800 naira a litre. Just recently, he paid 1,400 naira instead. That gap, he said, made it hard to keep working without losing money on every trip. Instead of a fix, drivers say his account was blocked soon after the call.
The suspension has sparked criticism from Nigeria’s ride-hailing driver community. Comrade Ibrahim Ayoade leads the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria. He said the incident shows how Bolt treats drivers who raise concerns about their earnings. According to him, Bolt made its position clear by refusing to adjust fares. As a result, drivers are left with two options: keep driving at a loss, or leave the platform entirely.
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This dispute comes at a difficult time. Fuel prices in Nigeria have spiked due to the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran. In just a few weeks, pump prices rose by more than 50 percent. Petrol that once cost about 850 naira a litre climbed past 1,000 naira. It has now crossed 1,300 naira. Since fuel is a driver’s biggest running cost, the hike has hit take-home pay hard.
This is not the first warning Bolt has received. Earlier, AUATON’s Edo State chapter also called for a fare review. The chapter argued that fuel costs, vehicle upkeep and living expenses had all gone up, yet fares stayed the same. Union leaders described the situation as exploitative. They said many drivers were barely breaking even after fuel expenses.
Bolt has said before that it is working on measures to address driver concerns. However, the company has not given a timeline for any fare adjustment. So far, Bolt has also not addressed the specific claim that it blocked a driver for raising the fare issue.
For now, tension between Bolt and its Nigerian drivers keeps growing. Many drivers say they are carrying the full weight of the fuel price hike, with little support from the platform they depe nd on.
