By Epiphanus Obia
Bolt has begun enforcing rating-based penalties against passengers on its platform, in a policy shift that gives the ride-hailing company the authority to warn, restrict, and permanently suspend rider accounts based on driver feedback.
The company confirmed the move in a statement, saying it now applies the same accountability principles to passengers that have long governed driver conduct on the platform. Where riders consistently attract poor ratings or are reported for behaviour that violates platform rules, consequences range from warnings through temporary restrictions to outright account suspension, depending on severity.
The trigger for the policy is partly data from Nigeria. A Bolt survey of more than 1,800 Nigerian drivers found that rudeness or verbal aggression was the leading cause of low passenger ratings, cited by 76 per cent of respondents. Payment disputes were reported by 49 per cent of drivers, while safety concerns and damage or dirtying of vehicles were each cited by 42 per cent.
The findings cause a change in the system that has always favoured passengers. While most riders are aware they can rate drivers after a trip, fewer know that drivers have always had the ability to rate them in return, a two-way system that Bolt says is standard but which has attracted little public attention until now.
“Respectful communication and consideration during trips significantly improve the experience for both drivers and riders,” said Teddy Appa-Dankyi of Bolt.
The policy applies across Bolt’s Nigerian markets, and riders with a pattern of low scores, rather than a single incident, are the primary targets of the new enforcement measures, according to the company.
Bolt said passenger ratings default to five stars after each trip, with drivers typically adjusting scores only when a specific issue arises. This means a low rating on the platform is generally deliberate, not the product of routine feedback.
The company has not published a specific rating threshold below which enforcement will be triggered.