Nigerian ride-hailing drivers are charging their customers fares higher than official rates to offset petrol costs and the rising cost of livingReports indicate that drivers negotiate with passengers before pickup to agree on an amount they consider sufficientDrivers defend the fare increases as survival tactics, citing the rise in petrol prices at filling stations to N1,025 per litre
Henzodaily.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of business journalism experience with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Nigerian drivers working with E-hailing mobility platforms such as Bolt, Uber, and inDrive are reportedly increasingly requesting passengers to pay more than app-quoted fares to cope with current petrol prices.
Nigerian riders hike fares to cover petrol cost
Photo credit: Milko
Source: Getty Images
The survival mode tactics employed by the drivers come despite the recent hike in fares implemented by Uber and others.
Henzodaily.ng had earlier reported that Uber implemented a 13% fare increase for its UberX service in September, acknowledging the growing operational challenges drivers face.
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The statement from the company reads:
“We understand that your operational costs may have risen due to the current macroeconomic conditions, and we aim to help protect your earnings. To address this, we have implemented a 13 percent increase in the UberX product.”
Bolt implemented a similar price adjustment in Abuja.
Punch reports that Bolt management adjusted its fares to the minimum fare for Bolt rides, which has been raised from N1,300 to N1,495, and the start fee has been increased from N737 to N884.
The company also revised its cost per kilometre from N124 to N152, and the charge per minute has been increased from N21 to N25.
The company stated:
“This is intended to ensure that drivers can cover their operational expenses while still remaining affordable for passengers.”
BusinessDay reports that the drivers claimed that the increase was not enough.
Faith Lisa, a writer, was quoted as saying:
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“I ordered a Bolt ride from Ikoyi to Lakowe, and the price of the ride was N10k on the app.
“During the trip, the driver complained that the fare was too small. He explained how he had to wait in the queue for hours and kept hinting that I should pay more. When I was about to pay, he asked for an additional N5,000. After bargaining for over 10 minutes, I added N2,000.”
Also, Temitope Victoria, her inDrive driver, collected N1,000 more than the N6,500 he agreed to on the app.
New app to help passengers against ‘one-chance’ crimes
Earlier, Henzodaily.ng reported that Switch Tech Limited, a Nigerian company, launched a new app in Abuja to tackle ‘one-chance’ robbery in public transport.
The app uses QR codes and AI technology to help users quickly report suspicious activities, enabling law enforcement to respond faster.
Ugbah Chukwuma, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, provided insights into the app’s potential, believing it will enhance road safety through innovative technology.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng