Ride-hailing platform Bolt has engaged passengers and other stakeholders in Port Harcourt on data privacy and digital safety, as concerns over the handling of personal information and passenger protection grow alongside the use of app-based transport services.
The engagement held recently, brought riders together to share experiences, raise safety concerns and discuss measures to improve security across the ride-hailing ecosystem.
The discussions covered the role of technology, passenger awareness and shared responsibility in making journeys safer, with particular attention to the personal information generated when people use digital mobility platforms.
Delivering a keynote address titled Data Privacy and Trust in Digital Mobility: Protecting Passengers and Drivers in the Ride-Hailing Ecosystem, the Director of Enforcement and Compliance at the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, Rosemary Orubo, said data protection was an essential part of ride-hailing safety.
She noted that while safety conversations often focused on physical security, responsible driving and emergency response, digital safety also required attention because ride-hailing trips generated personal information, including users’ contact details, locations and destinations.
The information, she warned, needed to be handled responsibly to prevent misuse, harassment, fraud and unauthorised disclosure.
“Protecting personal data is not merely an administrative or compliance exercise. It is part of protecting people,” Orubo said, adding that trust in digital mobility depended on responsible data handling, accountability and respect for individual privacy.
Bolt’s Head of Regulatory and Policy for Africa, Weyinmi Aghadiuno, said technology alone could not address safety concerns, stressing the need to ensure that passengers and drivers understood the tools available to them.
The company has introduced features including Emergency Assist, which allows users to seek emergency assistance through the app; Share Trip, which enables passengers to share journey details with trusted contacts; and Audio Trip Recording, which allows users to record audio during a trip for safety purposes.
Bolt also encourages users to report concerns through the app and provides safety education to promote responsible use of its platform.
“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,” Aghadiuno said.
She added that engagements with passengers helped the company understand users’ experiences and improve awareness of the safety measures available on its platform.
The Port Harcourt meeting 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 discussions reflect the growing importance of digital trust in ride-hailing, where platforms depend on personal information and location data to connect passengers with drivers. Protecting that information, alongside providing effective reporting and emergency-response mechanisms, remains an important part of building confidence in app-based transport services.