Bolt records 42% drop in offline trips in three months 

Ride-hailing platform Bolt says offline trips on its platform — rides taken without full app-based oversight — have dropped by 42% over the last three months, even as use of its in-app safety features continues to surge. The company disclosed this at a public safety summit held in Lagos.

According to Bolt, more than 31,000 users now actively use the Trusted Contacts feature — a nearly 300% increase from January’s 7,839 users — while over 5,500 riders have enabled the Pick-Up Code tool to verify driver identities before trips begin. The company says these figures reflect a growing adoption of its in-built safety technology, at a time when other players like inDrive are actively encouraging direct driver-rider negotiations — often offline and outside regulatory visibility.

Offline trips allows drivers to maximise earnings without commission deductions; they bypass app-based safety features like GPS tracking, emergency buttons, and identity verification. The trend has also become a source of tension for regulators and users, especially in high-density cities like Lagos, where offline transactions have led to an uptick in unresolved incidents and accountability lapses. Bolt’s approach is noveau, though light on specific details of how the change was possible

The summit brought together stakeholders from the government, law enforcement, civil society, and the Bolt rider community. It comes just weeks after the Lagos State Government summoned operators like Bolt and Uber to address growing safety and compliance concerns, as previously reported by The Condia.

“Safety is not just a feature, it is fundamental to the service we provide,” said Osi Oguah, General Manager, Bolt Nigeria. “The Public Safety Summit represents a major step forward in how we engage with our riders. It’s a rider-first platform to listen, learn, and collaborate on new ways to make our services safer and more responsive.”

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Bolt said that the summit marks the beginning of a community-led approach to urban mobility safety in Nigeria. This is a feature that has been lacking between ride-hailing operators and drivers, fuelling a multiplicity of shutdowns and strikes over the last two years.

The company also reiterated its commitment to transparency, safety education, and platform-wide accountability, positioning itself as a proactive partner in the government’s efforts to regulate the sector more effectively.

With Lagos commuters increasingly forced to choose between affordability and assurance, Bolt’s data is as much a reflection of internal progress as it is a commentary on the broader challenge of governing urban mobility in Nigeria.