Bolt decides to cancel rides for Nigeria and South Africa, after pranksters calls for fake rides

South Africa: Several South African Drivers were left confused, after pranksters requested for fake rides. Nigerians and South Africans right now are facing a disturbing “Bolt for Bolt” challenge on Twitter.

Following this, Bolt has restricted inter-country ride requests between Nigeria and South Africa.

Reportedly, Some South Africans pranked Nigerian Drivers by booking rides and cancelling them. Some Nigerians are also responding by pranking South African Drivers.

Sadly, this has made the Drivers lose money and also wasted their time.

Considering this, Bolt decided to restrict several Nigerian and South African users ordering and cancelling fake rides.

As per the sources, this was necessary to curb a growing trend of prank ride orders. The ride-hailing company Bolt’s decision is right to block an undisclosed number of accounts from Nigeria and South Africa.

The trend, which was started with a social media challenge between citizens of the two countries, involved users ordering rides in each other’s countries and then cancelling them once the driver arrived at the pickup location.

This conflict matter was ignited by some South Africans who pranked Nigerian Drivers by booking rides and cancelling them.

The trend then quickly gained traction on social media, with many South Africans sharing their experiences and encouraging others to join in the prank

In retaliation, Nigerians started to prank South African drivers in a similar fashion, leading to a surge in fake ride requests in both countries.

This back-and-forth has caused significant disruptions, with drivers in both nations expressing frustration over wasted time and resources.

The reports indicate that the prank has resulted in increased fares due to surge pricing, making it difficult for genuine customers to secure their rides.

In response to the chaos, Bolt has implemented measures to restrict inter-country ride requests and has blocked accounts involved in the prank. The company emphasized the much need to protect the integrity of its platform and the livelihoods of its drivers

Country manager of Nigeria at Bolt – Yahaya Mohammed said, “We understand the impact of this situation, that has had on our driver-partners in Nigeria and South Africa. We are committed to ensure a safe, reliable and secure experience for all members of our community.”

Notably, the prank ride trend highlights the ongoing tensions between Nigeria and South Africa, which have been simmering for years. It also raises questions about the impact of social media challenges on real-world situations and the responsibility of users to consider the consequences of their actions.