Bolt, a passenger transportation company, has restricted fare requests between South Africa and Nigeria following a dispute over fake ride requests. The issue arose when citizens from both countries exploited the app by submitting and canceling ride requests, leading to frustrations among drivers.
The tensions stemmed from a social media controversy involving Chidema Adechina, a model with dual Nigerian and South African heritage, which reignited long-standing hostilities between the two nations. These hostilities include xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa and retaliatory actions against South African businesses in Nigeria.
The rivalry extends beyond transportation to cultural realms, affecting music and sports, as seen in recent Grammy Awards and the African Cup of Nations. Despite past diplomatic efforts for cooperation between the two nations, the fallout from the Bolt incident has left many drivers frustrated and concerned about their ratings and job security.
