Breaking News: Bolt Unveils Operations in Zimbabwe with Generous Commission Waiver

Bolt has declared its intention to broaden its presence Zimbabwe, starting in Harare, and will be foregoing driver commissions for a minimum of six months. This move aligns with the e-hailing company’s ambitious plan to invest €500 million ($542.8 million) in Africa, with the objective of expanding its operations and generating employment opportunities for more than 300,000 new drivers and couriers.

Laurent Koerge, Head of Expansion at Bolt, emphasized that the company’s objectives extend beyond simply increasing driver revenue per hire. He highlighted the importance of maintaining a high demand through competitive pricing, stating, “Accordingly, our commission is significantly lower than that of our competitors.”

Founded by Markus Villig in 2013, the ride-hailing giant now boasts a customer base exceeding 150 million in 45 countries, with over 3 million drivers. Since its inception in South Africa in 2016, Bolt has successfully extended its services to 12 African nations, including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Tunisia, Mozambique, Mali, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

Despite its global success, Bolt has faced challenges, including safety concerns and driver compensation issues. For example, South African drivers protested in July 2023, leading to Bolt South Africa implementing a new verification process in December of the same year. This process involves new riders providing a clear selfie for identity verification and submitting a copy of their identification document to validate the selfie.

In Eastern Africa, Bolt Kenya took action against a driver for inappropriate behavior in October 2023. The company has also encountered incidents like the kidnapping of a Kenyan media personality’s daughter and a friend after booking a Bolt ride. The kidnappers allegedly demanded KSh 500,000 ($3,580) for the release of both girls. In Nigeria, three Bolt drivers were reportedly shot dead by gunmen in Port Harcourt in October 2023, leading to calls for the implementation of National Identification Numbers (NIN) to verify passengers. Despite these challenges, Bolt remains committed to expanding its services across the continent, as evidenced by the recent introduction of Bolt Send, a same-day package delivery service in Johannesburg North.