Children’s Day: Bolt donates portion of earnings to vulnerable children

Ride-hailing company Bolt says it will donate a portion of its earnings to vulnerable children and youths. The company disclosed this in a statement seen by Technext.

According to the company, the gesture comes as part of its “Rides That Care” campaign launched in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria. SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria works to ensure children without parental care, or at risk of losing it, grow up with the support, protection and opportunities they need.

According to Bolt, the initiative is designed to support vulnerable children and youth through everyday trips taken on the Bolt platform.

“Running from May 27 to May 31, the campaign will see a portion of earnings from rides completed on Bolt donated to SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria to support programmes focused on child care, family strengthening and community support,” Bolt’s statement reads.

The mobility company also said the initiative is designed to make giving simple and accessible while allowing riders to contribute to a meaningful cause simply by moving around the city as they normally would.

Speaking about the campaign, Bolt’s Senior General Manager for West Africa, Teddy Appah-Dankyi, explained that Children’s Day is an important moment to reflect on the kind of support systems children and families need to thrive.

“Through the Rides That Care campaign, we wanted to create a simple way for everyday movement to contribute to something meaningful. We believe even small everyday actions, when multiplied across a community, can make a real difference in supporting vulnerable children and families.”

Bolt says drivers earnings are not affected

An e-hailing company announcing donations tied to ride earnings would naturally spook drivers operating on its platform. With many of them already grappling with skyrocketing operational costs, including fuel prices that have gone through the roof and the rise in the cost of spare parts, deductions, regardless of the cause, will not be welcomed at a time when they are clamouring for an increase in fares.

Responding to queries from Technext on whether the campaign will run on commissions alone or from total earnings, Bolt confirmed that drivers’ earnings won’t be tampered with, as the funding will come entirely from Bolt.

“The donation will be taken from Bolt’s commission alone. Driver’s earnings will not be affected,” a company spokesperson told Technext.

On the other side, a campaign like this which would depend heavily on rides, might make riders wonder whether there won’t be additions to their fares to fund the initiative. Responding to this concern, the company assured riders that prices won’t change.

“Ride prices are not being changed as part of this campaign. The prevailing prices remain unchanged, and the donation amount will be deducted from Bolt’s commission. Throughout the campaign period, riders will not be required to take any additional steps or make separate donations, as contributions will be made automatically through eligible rides completed on the platform,” the company reiterated.

The company further said the initiative reflects Bolt’s broader commitment to supporting communities beyond mobility by leveraging its platform to create positive social impact. By turning everyday trips into acts of support, the initiative aims to encourage collective participation in helping vulnerable children and families across Nigeria.

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