Bolt introduces Family account for users to book and pay for rides of up to 9 persons

A leading ride-hailing company in Nigeria, Bolt, has introduced a new feature that will give users the ability to book rides and pay for relatives and people close to them. The company disclosed this in a statement seen by Technext. Called the Family Profile, the feature allows users to add up to nine family members, friends or close relatives in what can be considered a mega account.

Bolt says the new shared account feature gives families more control over ride spending, visibility, and flexibility from one account.

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Speaking about the new feature, Country Manager, Osi Oguah, touted the Family Profile as a very powerful tool which gives a user the power to manage and coordinate rides of others who may not be able to do so themselves.

“At Bolt, we want to make ride-hailing work for the way people actually move. Family Profile is a simple but powerful way to support others, whether that’s older relatives, or anyone you care about, without needing to coordinate every trip. It’s about control, visibility, and freedom in one feature, and we’re excited to bring it to our customers in Nigeria,” he said.

He also noted that the Family Profile feature can be operated from a single Bolt account, stating that the launch supports the company’s broader commitment to delivering a high-quality ride-hailing experience built around safety, convenience, and everyday usability.

More on Bolt’s Family Profile

Bolt said its internal data shows that two to six per cent of rides on its platform are currently ordered for someone other than the account holder. Ordering those rides often require manual coordination and sharing of trip details. However, this new feature simplifies that process, offering a built-in solution that allows customers to invite others to join their profile.

The profile also allows the controller to set monthly spending limits and receive live trip notifications. Thus, the Family Profile feature is designed to make ride-hailing more practical for families and support networks.

The company says the family accounts do not change its core policies around rider eligibility as each member added to a Family account must have their own individual account and meet the platform’s minimum age requirement of 18. However, being part of a family account network does not take away the individual’s independence as each individual can still request rides independently if they use the app, while the account holder retains oversight.

Still on safety and elegibility, the company also said the feature cannot be used to book rides for unaccompanied minors. It noted that age restrictions are in place for legal and safety reasons while ensuring that all riders using the feature remain subject to its existing terms and conditions.

“The feature is especially helpful for parents, caregivers, or anyone supporting older relatives who may not use smartphones or ride-hailing apps regularly. Data shows that ride-hail usage is growing fastest among older adults, but practical barriers, like app complexity or payment requirements, still limit adoption. Family Profile helps close that gap by letting one person handle ride management and payments for others, even if they don’t use the Bolt app themselves,” Bolt said.

In addition to greater flexibility, the company says the Family Profile feature offers account holders enhanced financial control and peace of mind. They can monitor ride activity per member, receive real-time alerts when trips start or end, and take immediate action if needed, for example, checking a ride’s live location or contacting the rider or driver in the event of an unexpected route or stop.

Bolt said the launch of Family Profile complements its ongoing investment in building a world-class ride-hailing platform. Its engineers continue to improve the app’s routing, mapping, and usability to meet the evolving expectations of riders and drivers. Family Profile, therefore, joins a growing set of features aimed at building trust and enhancing platform safety.

Other existing safety tools available in the app include trip verification codes, live location sharing, emergency assistance, and ride monitoring by the company’s Safety Team.