Uber Bolt and Indriver Companies: Which Should You Try First in Nigeria?

By Abdulkabir Olatunji

As the need to make ends meet becomes more imperative in the Nigerian economy that has high inflation, many people are seeing etaxi business (ride hailing companies) as a viable income earning activity that they should adopt to meet their family and personal commitments.

The Big Question for New Ride Hailing Drivers

The question for many people that fall into this category is: where do I start from? I have over the years either recruited drivers for or used these platforms as a passenger. Interacting with many drivers and getting their insights and will now give you my ranking of the top 3 etaxi companies Uber Bolt and Indriver in Nigeria and which should a newbie try first considering the fact that it takes some energy and resources to get on these platforms. Trying to get on 2 or more at once might be a big challenge that is too intimidating for most people.  Why can it be intimidating? There are a lot of documents required and sometimes these documents do not align with the registration requirements of other companies. The implication of this is that you have to go to multiple government offices and private companies to get different documents to register on 2 or more companies –if you have the time, you might not have the money or energy. I hope you now get the message I am trying to pass here.

My ranking is done from the most attractive to the least attractive of Uber, Bolt and Indriver in Nigeria where I have  better knowledge and understanding of the market. While there are other companies in the ride hailing business having many etaxis, they have many challenges keeping them from competing effectively such as; lack of capital to market themselves effectively, poor adoption rate by riders and drivers which is a vicious cycle that keeps feeding itself, poor customer service and support and being targeted by scammers.

These trio of Uber Bolt and Indriver dominate the Nigerian market and it might not be worth it trying to add other companies to your list — at least for now. I know there are drivers and people promoting other ride hailing services or eTaxis that might disagree with me on this but I am super-confident with a dash of experience that I know what I am writing about. You can also engage with me on this by dropping a comment. Now, let us get into the real reason we are here a critical look at these three companies to see which might work best for you as a driver that is new to this industry.

Uber

Uber was the first etaxi company to really capture global imagination and the first to start operations in Nigeria in 2014. If you think about it critically, it should also be the one that operates the most rides but this is not the case. You might want to count this against the company but you must understand that it has the following benefits:

Advantages of Registering on Uber as a Driver

1. It places a high premium on safety of both riders and drivers.
2. It started out with a difficult to meet standard for cars on its platform before competition forced it down. This implies better cars are available on the platform.
3. The riders on Uber tend to be more of middle to high class. This makes managing them a lot easier as they tend to be more considerate.
4. There is a lot of effort to educate drivers on etiquettes of doing etaxi work.
5. There are very useful tools to help drivers make money.
6. There are superior tools to ensure drivers get paid for working regardless of whatever some unscrupulous riders might be doing.
7. The higher standard on Uber gives its drivers a marginally higher sense of prestige.

Disadvantages of Registering on Uber as a Driver

1. There is a once in a lifetime test you cannot afford to fail. If you fail it, you will never be allowed to drive on Uber.
2. There are times when the strict policies of Uber make it difficult for drivers to get registered on the platform. For example, a slight defect on your driver’s license might make it impossible to get registered on Uber.
3. Less Internet savvy users might find it difficult to work on Uber.
4. The smartphone devices required to drive with Uber might not be affordable for some drivers.

Bolt

Although it came to Nigeria much later than Uber in 2016, it has managed to get more drivers on its platform. The same goes for riders who it tries to entice with discounts and promos, multiple destination option, in-app chatting/call with driver and other features.

Advantages of Registering on Bolt as a Driver

1. It has a mass market appeal, more riders and more drivers.
2. It encourages drivers to earn more with promos.
3. It has coverage of more Nigerian cities.
4. The registration requirements can be a bit more lax than Uber.
5. Riders in the lower to middle class instinctively use the app than any other one.

It is not all smooth driving for Bolt drivers though, the company has its challenges too.

Disadvantages of Registering on Bolt as a driver

1. Bolt is believed to focus more on riders’ welfare than that of drivers.
2. Cases of unscrupulous riders and safety hazards to drivers seem to be more of a problem on the platform.
3. Many drivers complain about their treatment in terms of support from the company.
4. Too many drivers on the app can lead to fewer rides for drivers in certain areas.
5.  There are often policy reversals from the company signaling a bit of confusion in strategy.

Indriver

This is a company started in Russia but is doing well in Nigeria after entering our market in 2019. Its biggest advantage is the focus on drivers collecting their cash from riders. This is something that excites many drivers and here are some advantages of the platform:

Advantages of Registering on Indriver as a Driver

1. It allows you to use your Uber or Bolt registration to create a profile on its platform.
2. You always collect your money from your rider and pay Indriver its commission later.
3. Drivers are allowed to bargain price with riders.
4. Drivers know the destination of a rider before accepting.
5. An option exists for newbies drivers to register with a Police Character Certificate (PCC).
6. It charges 15% commission which is lower than of Uber and complete.
7. Advantages of Registering on Indriver as a Driver

 Disadvantages of Registering on Indriver as a Driver

1. Indriver seems to focus on riders at the expense of drivers.
2. The company tends to ban drivers without really listening to their side of the story.
3. Riders seek to take advantage of drivers by bidding low amounts.
4. Customer service and support is very limited.
5. Some unscrupulous individuals pose as riders on the app.

My Conclusion on Uber Bolt and Indriver

All in all, these three companies — Uber Bolt and Indriver offer you an opportunity to earn in a way that you probably have not experienced before and this is a good thing for you because it means that you can diversify your streams of income and increase your earnings considerably. This is important to escape the poverty trap that you might fall into if you do not grow your income considerably over time due to the high level of inflation in Nigeria.  As a newbie driver, I suggest you give Uber a trial first because it has the best all-round quality that can help you get started in this business in a safe and knowledgeable manner. After working on Uber for a while and you feel confident of your ability, you can then consider the other options.

For me, it is exciting to see that we are making appreciable progress in Nigeria in terms of employment opportunities that did not exist before but are now available leveraging on the use of technology and the Internet.  eTaxi  is one business that many have used to solve financial problems and then move on to bigger and better things. If you are actively considering it, I say it is definitely a good option and I hope you find this guide useful. I am always researching this and other industries and will take time to do updates if there are new developments that might be relevant. Please drop a comment and let us continue the discussion.

I can be reached on 08085404500 for those interested in starting registration with Uber as drivers. I have received training and authorization from the company to do this and you are safe in this regard. You may also send me an email via olatuson@gmail.com  or visit my blog to learn more.