The long-standing rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa took a new dimension on Thursday morning after citizens from both countries engaged in a new supremacy battle.
Citizens targeted each other by ordering e-hailing rides from the rival country and then cancelling the orders once the drivers arrived at the pickup location.
South Africans reportedly started a trend of ordering Bolt and Uber rides in Nigeria and then cancelling them when the drivers arrived at the pick-up locations.
In response, Nigerians reciprocated by triggering high surge pricing for Bolt rides in Cape Town and Johannesburg, resulting in many South Africans being unable to find affordable rides and getting stranded.
The digital war is reportedly linked to a recent rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa, sparked by beauty model Chidimma Adetshina withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant.
Adetshina’s withdrawal from the Miss South Africa pageant was triggered by significant backlash over questions regarding her nationality.
The 23-year-old law student from Soweto, South Africa, garnered widespread attention when she announced her decision to step down, citing concerns for the safety and well-being of herself and her family.
Her decision came after an investigation by South Africa’s Home Affairs Department suggested that Adetshina’s mother might have committed “identity theft” to obtain South African citizenship.
Beyond this, the virtual ride or die game has raised questions about the safety measures ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt have put in place to prevent fraudulent bookings.
Yahaya Mohammed, the Nigerian Country Manager for Bolt said, “Bolt is aware of the incident involving fake ride requests between individuals in Nigeria and South Africa.”
“We have successfully taken measures to resolve the issue of fake ride requests affecting our driver-partners, particularly those operating in Nigeria and South Africa. The integrity and safety of our platform, both for driver-partners and riders, is our utmost priority.”
Some South Africans on the platform acknowledged defeat, while others expressed concerns about the impact of the challenge on the economic activities of the Bolt drivers.
