Bolt Expands To Botswana

Estonian ride-hailing giant, Bolt, is launching in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana. To start off its launch, Bolt is waiving its usual 15-20 percent commission fee for drivers for the first six months, presenting a chance for the driivers to join the platform and earn more.

Currently, inDrive, which launched in 2019, is the only ride-hailing player in Botswana. However, Bolt looks to shake things up with competitive pricing and driver incentives. Since its initial launch in South Africa in 2016, Botswana becomes the 14th African country where Bolt operates. It has launched in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in the last six months.

Head of Expansion, Global at Bolt, Laurent Koerge, said, “We are thrilled to introduce our services in Botswana. Our aim is to increase earnings for our drivers while fostering high demand through competitive pricing.”

Despite potential growth, Botswana’s ride-hailing market reportedly poses challenges, evidenced by inDrive’s five-year struggle with issues like driver misconduct and resistance from public transport operators.

Bolt has equipped their app with an emergency SOS button, implemented driver-rider pairing controls for trust, share trip details in real-time for peace of mind, and ensure all drivers possess the required local licenses. The company aims to tackle safety and misconduct concerns that have affected ride-hailing services in Botswana.

While the introductory commission-free offer might seem similar to inDrive’s initial strategy, Bolt clarifies that its market expansion follows a multi-phased approach. Despite being established in Botswana for over four years, inDrive still considers itself in the second phase of operation, suggesting Bolt’s approach may be quicker and more focused on scaling up its presence.