Fuel price hike: E-hailing drivers demand price review as Bolt says it is preparing ‘targeted measures’

As fuel prices continue to rise across Nigeria, e-hailing drivers under the umbrella of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) have demanded a commensurate increase in fares from the ride-hailing company, Bolt.

This demand was issued in a statement to Technext by the Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the union, Comrade Russell Eghaghe. Describing it as exploitation, the chairman said the recent increase in the price of fuel by the government has placed an unbearable burden on drivers.

Comrade Russell Eghaghe

He noted that the price of fuel, which is the primary operational cost of every driver, has risen sharply. At the same time, the costs of vehicle maintenance, spare parts, servicing, and general living expenses have also increased drastically.

“Despite these harsh economic realities, Bolt has failed to adjust ride fares to reflect the current cost of operation. Drivers are now forced to work longer hours under extremely difficult conditions just to break even. In many cases, drivers can barely recover the cost of fuel after completing trips. This situation is unacceptable and cannot continue,” he said.

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Fuel price hike and e-hailing operations

After several months of continuous price reductions, Nigeria suddenly began witnessing a hike in fuel prices, attributed to the American and Israeli war in Iran.

Consequently, the pump price of petrol, which generally hovered around the 850 naira mark, first shot up to 1,080 naira at the start of the week, but now sells for 1,300 naira, a more than 50 per cent hike.

Fuel is the single most essential and constant operational cost in the transportation business. Naturally, a hike in fuel prices leads to a hike in transportation costs. Because pricing in e-hailing is controlled by the apps, the drivers find themselves at their mercy.

According to the Edo State AUATON chairman, Russell Eghaghe, Uber and inDrive have since adjusted fares to reflect the added operational cost. However, Bolt, which is the biggest app in the state, has yet to adjust its fares. Thus, thousands of dissatisfied drivers operating on the Bolt app now find themselves struggling to cope with work and earn an income.

“We therefore call on Bolt management to immediately review and increase ride fares to reflect the current economic realities in Nigeria. The pricing structure must be fair and must allow drivers to cover operational costs and earn a reasonable livelihood. Drivers are being pushed to the edge of survival while the company continues to operate and profit from their labour,” Comrade Eghaghe said.

While stating that the union remains open to dialogue, he, however, warned that failure to address this issue urgently will leave drivers with no option but to consider collective actions aimed at protecting their dignity, livelihood, and welfare.

He also called on the Federal Government and relevant regulatory authorities to urgently intervene and ensure that international ride-hailing companies operating in Nigeria do not exploit Nigerian drivers under unfair pricing systems.

The Bolt team

Reacting to the development, Bolt, in a statement to Technext, said that while it is aware of the energy situation, its priority is to maintain the balance between driver costs and rider pricing to ensure that its platform remains fair and sustainable for all parties.

“We are well aware that fuel costs are an important component of driver earnings, so we are closely monitoring the impact of rising fuel prices. We are currently assessing our pricing and driver earnings in Nigeria, and we are preparing to introduce targeted measures to help drivers manage the short-term cost pressures,” the company said.

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