Nigeria, South Africa Rivalry Intensifies With Bolt, Uber Prank Orders 

  

Rivalry between South Africa and Nigeria is intensifying, but the latest escalation has neither taken a diplomatic route nor a geopolitical one. It is through prank cab orders. Allow me to explain: people from South Africa and Nigeria have been engaged in an online battle in the form of a “Bolt for Bolt” trend. They are ordering e-hailing rides on apps like Bolt and Uber in each other's countries and then canceling orders once the driver arrives at the pickup location.

This online rivalry reportedly began in South Africa and was labeled the “Request in Nigeria Challenge.” Videos and screenshots emerged online showing South Africans ordering Bolt rides in Nigeria from their own country. The purpose was purely to cause frustration and financial loss for Nigerian drivers. This provoked Nigerians to respond, and they did in greater numbers. #BfulBolt emerged in response, reflecting Nigeria's counter-challenge. Nigerians began ordering Bolt and Uber rides in South Africa in retaliation. They replicated the same disruptive tactic.

This triggered extreme Bolt surge pricing in Cape Town and Johannesburg, leaving many South Africans stranded due to unavailable and overly expensive rides. The digital war is reportedly linked to the controversy surrounding Chida Ar, the former Miss South Africa pageant contestant who is now competing for Miss Universe Nigeria instead. She faced backlash, abuse, and xenophobic attacks over a nationality dispute in South Africa and was questioned over her Nigerian heritage.

South Africa's action and Nigeria's counteraction led to a further surge in the challenge. Citizens from both countries used social media to either show support or express their dissatisfaction. Many describe this as an acute wastage of resources when fuel prices are constantly rising. Stuck in the middle of the rivalry, the technology ride-hailing company Bolt was significantly affected by the surge due to fake requests. In response, the company suspended several accounts and restricted inter-country ride requests.

The company said, and I quote: “Bolt is aware of the recent fake ride requests between individuals in Nigeria and South Africa. We have swiftly implemented measures to resolve the issue, including restricting inter-country ride requests. Those responsible have been blocked from the Bolt app. We prioritize the safety and integrity of our platform and are committed to supporting our driver partners.” However, this move directly impacted its operations. 

From economy to sports to music to culture, Nigeria and South Africa have had a history of rivalry. But people in the two economic powerhouses of Africa have taken it a notch higher with the latest ride-hailing prank. Now, for more, we have with us Ayanda Sishi Wigel, a political and social commentator and freelance journalist. Ayanda joins us live from Johannesburg, South Africa. Hello to you, Ayanda.

 Hello, Alison, and hello to all of the First Post viewers. Ayanda, how do you see the latest online war between people in South Africa and Nigeria, with both sides placing these prank ride orders?

I think it's ridiculous, honestly. There are so many problems that we have in the country, even in Nigeria. Even here in South Africa, we are dealing with so much. I think that these pranks are really unnecessary. They are distracting from the real issues that we have at hand, that both countries are facing. Recently, right now in South Africa, the latest Second Court of Labor Stats survey was released, which shows that unemployment has increased up to 33% from 32.9%. In Nigeria as well, it shows that there's been a sharp increase in unemployment. There is an increase in petrol prices as well, here in South Africa and in Nigeria. I think that we are already focusing on the wrong issues when it comes to what is going on online and what is being discussed. When it comes to this issue between South Africa and Nigeria, it really isn't anything that is to be taken seriously. I think that it's something that is ridiculous. It is a distraction from the real problems that people are facing on a day-to-day basis.

Yeah, and this, of course, sparked a wave of online backlash. How is the feud impacting the drivers for both Uber and Bolt?

It really is impacting them in the worst way because we need to understand that for people who are driving Uber and Bolt, the rules are different here on the African continent. So, the judgments that have been coming out for Uber drivers and Bolt drivers in different kinds of countries overseas, that impact hasn't necessarily been felt here on the African continent. And so, with the high increase in petrol prices, people who are using e-hailing services have really been having a difficult go of it. We also know that drivers have been having fewer customers coming to use their services because of the high cost of petrol and the high levels of unemployment, which means that most people can't afford to use the e-hailing services that are available. What this prank actually did was put people out of work entirely because we need to understand that people work in totals for the day. So, for example, if they want to make, for example, 7,000 Rands a day, that would have been affected by this prank because now they've been put out of work, which means that there are families that are not going to be fed for that day or for that week. And really, it's just something that was so totally unnecessary and uncalled for.

Yeah, and Ayanda, take us through the details of how this dispute began after the former Miss South Africa contestant Chida Ar recently landed in Nigeria to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. How did this then happen?

Yes, there has been conflict going on since Chida Ar even announced that she was going to be competing in Miss South Africa. There has been so much back and forth that has been going on online that actually really is borderline scary. I have been caught in the midst of that online battle. When we're talking about Afrophobia and xenophobia and how scary it is and how life-threatening it actually can be, there are life-altering consequences to that Afrophobia and xenophobia. So, there has been a lot of back and forth that has been happening. What started out, I think, even before Chida Ar started, as something that was really innocent—comparing cultures, comparing sportsmen, comparing statesmen—has now turned into something that is incredibly ugly. It's now turned into something that is affecting the livelihoods of people, both in Nigeria and here in South Africa. Once again, it's something that could have really been totally avoided. So, the social media rhetoric has now spilled over outside of social media spaces, and now we're actually seeing the real-life consequences of that Afrophobia and xenophobic rhetoric that we've been seeing on both sides, from Nigerians and especially, in particular, from South Africans as well.

Yeah, and reactions from concerned individuals include urging South Africans and Nigerians to realize that these Bolt and Uber drivers are just people trying to make ends meet, as you've said. They emphasize that wasting their time and money while inconveniencing those who genuinely need their services is not a game. What actions can individuals take to address this situation and to support the affected drivers?

I think, most importantly, just think before you tweet. It really is as simple as that. Making sure that social media is not an ugly place. If you're going to be ordering and using these e-hailing services, a tip would be great, a tip would be nice if you can afford to do one. But most importantly, just realize that this is not a diplomatic dispute. And I really want to emphasize that there are not going to be worldly consequences that are going to come from this. Ronald Lamola, who is the Justice Minister, has reemphasized that the relationship between South Africa and Nigeria remains extremely cordial. You have not heard anything from Mr. Bala, who is the Nigerian Ambassador here in South Africa, or from Ms. Tam Sano, who is the South African Ambassador to Nigeria, as well. So, really, at the end of the day, it's just a matter of people minding their own business and carrying on about their day, and making sure that they don't spread any kind of hateful rhetoric on social media would really just make everybody's day go a little bit better, and let's all act like the mature adults that we are.

And you did touch on this, but could we dive a little bit deeper? Could you shed some light on the longstanding rivalry between South Africa and Nigeria, from economy to sports to culture and to music?

Yes, look, Nigeria and South Africa are very, very, very similar countries. We have similar economies, and in fact, between South Africa and Nigeria, we're always switching between the first and second biggest economies on the continent. So, we need to make sure that if people want to do business on the African continent, they need to make sure that they have access to Nigeria and access to South Africa. As much as we share those victories, we also share some really bad problems together. There are high levels of unemployment, there are high levels of police brutality. In Nigeria, we had the End SARS protests. In South Africa, we had the Marikana Massacre, courtesy of and partially due to the police. And so, we're also dealing with the same socioeconomic issues, and so those really do come to the fore a lot. But also, culturally speaking, we have a lot of musicians from South Africa who make it big around the world, as well as in Nigeria. They have their musicians, and their culture is also front and center on the world stage in the form of Afrobeat from Nigeria, and here in South Africa, we have Amapiano. We have people like Davido, who is a musician from Nigeria, and we have our very own musician in the form of Tyler ICU, who are already breaking that ceiling within the music industry and spreading the culture of South Africa within the global sphere. So, we really do have many similarities,