Bolt, the Estonian ride-hailing giant, has officially launched its services in Harare, Zimbabwe, marking its twelfth country in Africa and third in the Southern region. In a unique move, Bolt will waive driver commissions for a minimum of six months, aiming to attract drivers and offer competitive fares to passengers.
This strategy mirrors Bolt’s approach in Zambia, where they launched with a similar no-commission incentive. Unlike some competitors charging up to 18%, Bolt promises significantly lower fees, potentially translating to higher earnings for drives.The initial pilot phase has onboarded 300 driver partners, and Bolt plans to offer services to both individuals and corporates. This expansion aligns with their commitment to creating over 300,000 job opportunities for drivers across Africa, announced earlier in 2023.
Bolt prioritizes safety for both riders and drivers. Recent initiatives include suspending over 10,000 drivers in Kenya and Nigeria for safety concerns. They offer features like an SOS button, verification processes, and the ability to report drivers who go offline mid-trip.
“We’re excited to pilot our services in Zimbabwe,” says Laurent Koerge, Head of Expansion at Bolt. “Our goal is to empower drivers with higher earnings while ensuring high demand through competitive prices. We offer significantly lower commissions than competitors, creating a win-win for both drivers and passengers.”
With this launch, Bolt strengthens its global presence, reaching over 150 million customers and partnering with 3 million drivers in 45 countries.
