In a bid to deepen engagement while commiserating with Muslim drivers in the month of Ramadan, Bolt, a leading ride-hailing company in Nigeria, hosted an Iftar dinner in Kano. This was disclosed by the company in a statement to Technext. According to the statement, the event serves to bring together Muslim drivers during the holy month.
The ride-hailing company said the Iftar event reinforces its commitment to supporting its driver-partners and fostering inclusivity across all communities. The statement noted that the gathering provided an environment for drivers to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and engage directly with the Bolt team in a collaborative discussion about improving their experience on the platform.
Speaking during the dinner, the General Manager for Bolt Nigeria, Osi Oguah, said the event was not only an opportunity to share a meal but also served as a platform for open dialogue, feedback exchange, and community building within the Bolt driver network.
“At Bolt, we recognize the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for our driver-partners. This Iftar event was more than just a meal, it was a chance to connect, listen, and understand the challenges and needs of our drivers in Kano. We appreciate their dedication, especially during this sacred period of Ramadan,” he said.
The latest in Bolt’s driver engagement drive
The Iftar dinner is the latest event in Bolt’s drive to increase driver engagement and better understand their pain points. in April last year, the company hosted a similar Iftar dinner in the federal capital, Abuja. The dinner which took place at the Barcelona Hotel in Abuja, also witnessed participation from Christian drivers as well.
Bolt Nigeria Country Manager at the time, Yahaya Mohammed, said the Iftar celebration was to acknowledge the different backgrounds of drivers and to honour them accordingly.
“We are a big community with lots of driver-partners from different backgrounds and we want to honour, respect and share the joy of every driver. This is about saying yes to love, inclusion, community and yes to everyone who wants to be a driver-partner. It’s very special to host an Iftar dinner with our hardworking driver-partners and something we are extremely proud about,” he said.
Similarly, in its commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day, the company hosted a drivers novelty match which it said was aimed at strengthening the relationship between the drivers and itself. The event which Bolt seems to want to make a yearly event, was themed “Building a Stronger Community”.
With it, the company says it also aims to foster a sense of partnership, demonstrating the platform’s commitment to drivers’ well-being, and recognising the instrumental role that they play in the ride-hailing ecosystem.
Thus, the company’s overarching strategy appears to be bonding with enough drivers with the aim of building a large community of drivers loyal to its platform. Events like the Iftar dinner which has now taken place for two consecutive years, certainly appear to be a strategy facing the right direction.
Drivers in attendance expressed their appreciation for the initiative, highlighting the sense of belonging and recognition the event fostered. Many also welcomed the opportunity to discuss ways to improve their overall experience on the Bolt platform, making it a productive and meaningful engagement for all participants.
“We want to say thank you to Bolt for this initiative, if my knowledge serves me right, this is the first time a ride-hailing company will organize such an event in Kano. This event has also made it possible for us to share some feedback to them physically and we drivers mostly get to connect through our online platform but today, we’re able to meet physically, mingle and exchange pleasantries,” a driver, Nura Muhammed said.
Bolt says the Iftar gathering is part of a broader effort to continuously support and empower driver-partners across Nigeria as it remains committed to strengthening driver engagement and well-being.
See also: Bolt says drivers must use air conditioning for economy rides although app support states otherwise
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