Data privacy emerges as new front in Nigeria’s ride-hailing safety debate

Data privacy is emerging as a critical dimension of ride-hailing safety in Nigeria, as platforms face growing expectations to protect not only passengers’ physical security but also the personal information generated during every journey.

The issue took centre stage at a Passenger Safety Meet & Greet hosted by Bolt in Port Harcourt, where riders and stakeholders discussed practical measures to improve safety, strengthen trust and promote responsible use of digital mobility services.

Participants examined the role of technology, passenger awareness and shared responsibility in preventing safety risks, while highlighting the need to protect sensitive information, including contact details, locations and travel destinations, from misuse or unauthorised disclosure.

The discussions broaden the conventional understanding of ride-hailing safety, which often focuses on driver conduct, responsible driving, emergency response and physical security, to include the handling of personal data collected through digital platforms.

Rosemary Orubo, director of enforcement and compliance at the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS), said data privacy should be treated as an integral part of protecting passengers and drivers rather than merely a regulatory obligation.

“Protecting personal data is not merely an administrative or compliance exercise. It is part of protecting people,” Orubo posited.

She noted that every ride generates personal information that must be handled responsibly to prevent potential misuse, harassment, fraud and unauthorised disclosure.

Her remarks underscore a challenge facing digital mobility services: the same technology that connects passengers with drivers and enables journey tracking also generates sensitive information that requires appropriate safeguards.

For passengers, information about their locations and destinations can reveal movement patterns and personal routines. For drivers, the information generated through the platform also creates privacy considerations that extend beyond the duration of a trip.

The challenge is therefore not limited to ensuring that a passenger reaches a destination safely. It also involves establishing confidence that personal information generated during the journey is handled responsibly.

Orubo said trust in digital mobility depended on responsible data handling, accountability and respect for individual privacy.

As ride-hailing services rely on digital systems to facilitate bookings, track journeys and provide customer support, the protection of personal information has become an important consideration in the relationship between platforms, drivers and passengers.

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Safety technology meets user awareness

Bolt said it continues to invest in safety features designed to give riders and driver-partners greater confidence and access to support during their journeys.

These include Emergency Assist, or SOS, which enables users to seek emergency assistance through the app; Share Trip, which allows passengers to share journey details with trusted contacts; and Audio Trip Recording, which enables users to record audio during a trip for safety purposes.

The company also promotes in-app reporting and safety education to encourage responsible use of the platform and provide channels for raising concerns.

However, Bolt acknowledged that the availability of safety technology alone is insufficient if users do not know the features exist or understand how to use them when necessary.

Weyinmi Aghadiuno, Bolt’s head of regulatory and policy for Africa, said effective safety measures required a combination of technology, awareness and direct engagement with users.

“Safety cannot be addressed through technology alone. We have invested in tools that allow riders and drivers to share their journeys, report concerns and access assistance when needed. But it is equally important that people know these tools exist, understand how to use them and feel confident raising concerns when something goes wrong,” Aghadiuno said.

She said engagements such as the Port Harcourt meet-and-greet provided an opportunity for the company to hear directly from riders, understand their experiences and continue improving the safety measures available on its platform.

The approach places passenger education alongside technological safeguards, recognising that safety features are useful only when people understand how and when to use them.

For instance, journey-sharing tools can help trusted contacts follow a trip, while emergency assistance and in-app reporting provide additional channels for seeking support or flagging concerns. Audio recording offers another safety option, although its use must be understood alongside applicable privacy requirements and platform rules.

The effectiveness of these tools ultimately depends on user awareness, accessibility and the ability to respond appropriately when concerns are reported.

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Trust becomes central to digital mobility

The Port Harcourt engagement was Bolt’s second Passenger Safety Meet & Greet in Nigeria in 2026, following an earlier edition in Abuja in June. The company also held a similar engagement in Lagos in 2025.

The engagements form part of its efforts to combine safety technology with user education and direct feedback from the communities it serves.

By bringing passengers and other stakeholders into the discussion, Bolt is seeking to identify practical ways to improve safety and encourage more responsible use of ride-hailing services.

The focus on privacy also highlights the importance of clear communication about how personal information is handled, the safeguards available to users and the channels through which concerns can be reported.

For digital mobility platforms, trust involves more than matching passengers with drivers or providing a convenient means of transportation. It also depends on users having confidence in the systems that manage their journeys and the information associated with them.

Aghadiuno said Bolt remained committed to working with riders, driver-partners and relevant stakeholders to promote safer and more reliable ride-hailing services.

The company’s engagement in Port Harcourt reflects a broader effort to place user experiences at the centre of its safety discussions, while the emphasis on data privacy points to another dimension of protection in an increasingly digital transport environment.

As ride-hailing platforms continue to rely on technology to coordinate journeys and provide support, the challenge is to ensure that convenience and digital functionality are matched by responsible data handling, accessible safety tools and clear accountability.

For passengers and drivers, that means safety must extend beyond the road to include the personal information generated before, during and after every trip.