Offline trips on Bolt fall 42% on rising safety feature uptake

Bolt has disclosed that it recorded a 42 per cent reduction in offline trips over the last three months, indicating increased use of in-app safety tools. There was also a 298 per cent rise in the use of the trusted contacts feature, which grew from 7,839 users in January to 31,216 in June. The pick-up code feature also gained traction, with 5,568 riders in Nigeria enabling it.

Bolt said this while reinforcing its commitment to safety during a public safety summit in Lagos on Wednesday.

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“At Bolt, safety is not just a feature, it’s fundamental to the service we provide. We are consistently investing in tools and partnerships that prioritise the well-being of our users. The Public Safety Summit represents a major step forward in how we engage with our riders,” Osi Oguah, General Manager, Bolt Nigeria, said.

He stated that it will be a rider-first platform to listen, learn, and collaborate on new ways to make our services even safer and more responsive.

Earlier in 2025, Bolt introduced a new trusted contact safety feature in Nigeria to improve passenger safety. The feature allows riders and driver partners to add names and phone numbers of friends or relatives to a contact list linked to their account, enabling Bolt’s Safety Team to contact them if the account holder becomes unreachable during safety protocol measures.

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On Wednesday, Bolt emphasised its continued investments in technology, driver training, and platform integrity, while fostering an open dialogue with riders about safety expectations and shared responsibilities in urban mobility.

Bolt noted that the summit marks a new chapter in community-driven innovation, with a focus on transparency, safety education, and continuous dialogue with users, stating that the initiative also aligns with its broader vision to elevate safety standards in Africa’s ride-hailing sector.