A beauty pageant controversy has ignited a cross-border feud between Nigeria and South Africa, with ride-hailing apps Uber and Bolt becoming the unlikely battlegrounds.
The Miss South Africa controversy
Last month, Chidimma Adetshina was forced to withdraw from the Miss South Africa contest after becoming a finalist due to xenophobic backlash.
The 23-year-old law student says she was born in Soweto, South Africa to a Nigerian father and South African mother with Mozambican roots.
After withdrawing from Miss South Africa, Adetshina later accepted an invitation to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria—which she went on to win.
Read: World’s First Miss AI—Moroccan Virtual Influencer Kenza Layli
Nigeria-South Africa taxi pranks
On August 21, South Africans began booking and canceling Uber and Bolt rides in Nigeria, and Migerians quickly retaliated in kind.
Soon, Bolt and Uber drivers in both nations found themselves chasing non-existent customers, causing delays, wasted fuel, and frustration.
Munyaradzi Chinyama, a Bolt driver in Cape Town, shared his frustration with the BBC, stating that he received multiple ride requests before realizing they were all hoaxes.
Mathew Ineh, a Lagos-based Bolt driver, told Rest of the World he stopped using the app after getting at least 10 fake bookings.
The surge in prank bookings also led to increased fares in cities like Lagos, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, leaving legitimate customers stranded and unable to find affordable rides.
Bolt and Uber Take Action
In response to the chaos, Bolt swiftly restricted inter-country ride requests between Nigeria and South Africa.
“Following a thorough investigation and the implementation of enhanced security measures, we have addressed this issue swiftly by restricting inter-country ride requests,” said Yahaya Mohammed, Bolt’s Nigeria country manager, in a statement to Rest of World.
“Additionally, those responsible for this malicious activity have been identified and held accountable by blocking them from the Bolt app.”
Many drivers impacted by this prank battle have urged platforms like Uber and Bolt to take stronger action against those who misuse their services.
“Most of them [drivers] from both countries don’t even know there is a pageantry war on social media,” noted Ayoade Ibrahim, secretary-general of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria.
He called for greater awareness of the impact such actions have on drivers.
Image credit: Benson Ibeabuchi/AFP
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