Bolt opens new driver engagement hub in Lagos to resolve driver issues, obtain training

Leading ride-hailing company, Bolt has launched a new driver engagement hub in Lagos. In a statement made available to Technext, the company said the general purpose of the hub is to enhance its driver-partners experience in its area of operations.

While noting that it has had a drivers’ hub in Lagos since 2017, the company said the new hub is of immense importance considering its ever-expanding pool of drivers, numbering in the tens of thousands. The driver engagement hub is, therefore, expected to further support and strengthen this burgeoning base of driver-partners earning through its platform in Lagos.

Speaking about the development, Bolt Nigeria Country Manager, Yahaya Mohammed, said this was part of the company’s commitment to drivers as it continues to explore ways of helping them optimise their experiences and their time.

“This is part of our long-standing commitment to invest in our operations to provide better support to our driver-partners and ensure that they continue to thrive. Drivers are at the core of our business, and we want to see them succeed and grow their earnings. We also understand that every moment matters and we’re always looking for ways to optimise the experience of existing and new driver-partners to get the most out of their time on the road.”

The Country Manager also said the company is eager to open a more functional, modern and technologically enabled support centre. He believes this will reinforce Bolt’s commitment to continually providing real-time, onsite support to its driver-partners.

According to the statement made available to Technext, the new driver hub, located at 11 Providence Street, Lekki Phase 1, will serve as a quick and convenient resource for drivers across Lagos. There they can sign up to drive or ask questions about the app.  

The company believes the driver hub will enhance the quality of service drivers will experience. These services include improved driver support, effective communication channels, training opportunities, community building, issue resolution, driver appreciation, positive branding and helping new driver-partners get on the road in as little as an hour or two.

The hub is also expected to serve as a Lost and Found centre where passengers can pick up their personal items forgotten in Bolt vehicles during their rides.

Bolt’s latest attempts to improve driver engagement

The driver engagement hub represents the e-hailing company’s latest attempt to endear drivers to itself. The Estonia-based company already runs a range of engagement initiatives in Nigeria, tailored towards building and fostering a deeper relationship with the driver ecosystem operating on the platform.

In September, the company launched its€25,000 accelerator for drivers. Launched in partnership with the Nest Innovation Park, the accelerator program will be offering a €25,000 seed fund to selected Nigerian drivers who complete the program to support their business plans.

Earlier in the same month, the company launched this year’s edition of its Drive for a Prize Campaign. The campaign which is currently in its fourth edition, is a driver support initiative aimed at celebrating the e-hailing company’s top-performing drivers by rewarding winners with various prizes. These prizes range from home appliances like brand-new TVs to mobile phones amongst others.

Back in March, the company offered drivers an extra earning avenue when it opened up the opportunity for them to brand their cars in exchange for weekly compensations. While this appears as a very noble and well-intended gesture by the ride-hailing company, the drivers, on the other hand, didn’t take too well to the initiative.

According to the president of the NLC-backed and government-approved Amalgamated Union of App-based Transport Workers Union (AUATWN), Comrade Ibrahim Ayoade, driving a branded vehicle could open drivers up to attack both by hoodlums or “agberos” and security agencies.

While Bolt appears to be making spirited efforts to prove that its drivers are indeed at the heart of all they do, it, however, appears unable to give the drivers one thing they would really appreciate; a reduced percentage in commission. The drivers believe that slashing commissions to 10 per cent would do them a world of good.

The company recently appeared to offer this to the drivers but it came with a caveat; that they must accept rides in the lower economy class category, regardless of how classy their vehicles are. As could be expected, this didn’t go down well with the drivers, despite the company’s best attempt to show them this was a great earning avenue. You can read more about it below:

Bolt Nigeria is offering 10% commission to drivers, but they must accept rides from economy-class

Regardless of these, the company said it will continue to work on the holistic driver experience and to provide the support needed by drivers to ensure that they remain successful in their businesses.