The long-standing rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa has taken a new twist. The feud between the two African nations, which often clash over matters like music and football, and the recent pageantry rivalry surrounding Nigerian-South African model Chidimma has taken on an uglier dimension with no end in sight.
The genesis
The online debacle evolved further as both factions entered into a fresh rivalry between South African and Nigerian internet users, escalating into the “Bolt for Bolt” trend, where citizens of both countries order e-hailing drivers from opposing countries in the comfort of their homes.
In a bid to provoke Nigerians, embarrass Nigerian drivers, and create chaos, some South Africans began ordering Bolt rides in Nigeria from South Africa, only to cancel the ride when the driver arrived at the pick-up spot. They tagged it the “Request in Nigeria” challenge.
A popular social commentator, Morris Monye, said, “So let me put it out there. South Africans pay to cancel bolt rides. For Nigerians, it’s free to cancel. Only one side will lose if people go head-to-head.”
Another user, EAAFRICAEXPERIENCE, who tweets from @EAE_Africa, wrote, “This is hate and targeted harassment. A South African living in South Africa and ordering Uber/Bolt in Nigeria simply to waste their and time. People have bills to pay and families to feed.”
Nigerians decided to return the favour by targeting drivers in South Africa, causing lost time and income.
Soon after, videos and pictures of Nigerians’ false-ordering rides in South Africa flooded the internet, leading to a bolt surge in South Africa.
Measures to curb the Bolt war
Yahaya Mohammed, Country Manager for Bolt Nigeria, told Techpoint Africa, “Bolt is aware of the fake ride request incident between some individuals in Nigeria and South Africa. We have taken measures to resolve the issue, particularly for our driver-partners in both countries. The integrity and safety of our platform is our utmost priority.”
In response, Bolt implemented enhanced security measures, including limiting inter-country ride requests and blocking offenders.
However, the feud continues to intensify, with netizens on both sides refusing to back down.
Refusal to back down
Nigerians have shared tweets expressing a refusal to back down and have also promised to take things further by false-ordering from South Africa’s local e-hailing cab services and different industry sectors in South Africa, including real estate, food, and home interior.
Nigerian users seem to remain determined to continue the feud via X. South Africans have also expressed intentions to report illegal Nigerian immigrants residing in South Africa.
This is a developing story.
