e-Hailing drivers in Oyo State operating under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), have rejected a virtual meeting called by e-hailing company Bolt, insisting on a physical meeting.
This was disclosed to Technext by the chairman of the Oyo State Chapter of the union, Comrade Temitope Abraham.
According to a statement by the chairman, the meeting slated for Monday, August 25, was ill-advised for various reasons. These include mistrust, transparency issues and technical limitations.
“The Almagamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) Oyo State chapter, hereby notifies all members and the general public that we shall boycott the forthcoming virtual meeting being organised by Bolt app Company, scheduled for 25th August 2025,” Comrade Abraham said.
Bolt’s driver engagement and Oyo drivers’ rejection
Bolt, one of the major e-hailing companies in Nigeria, constantly engages e-hailing drivers operating on its platform. The purpose of these engagements, according to the company, is to provide an environment for drivers to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and engage directly about improving their experience on the platform.
However, drivers have constantly complained that they leave these engagements feeling like they had been muzzled into silence while the company does all the talking in a completely one-way engagement.
Recently, the AUATON Chairman in Rivers State, Comrade Amos Omoruyi, described as “disrespectful”, Bolt’s latest call for a meeting with drivers in the state, noting that previous engagements have failed to yield results because drivers were not allowed to speak freely or be heard.
He believes Bolt’s idea of a round table is to force its bidding down the throat of drivers, which explains why it is afraid to engage the union directly, choosing instead to engage individual drivers who may not stand united.
Comrade Omoruyi also warned that the union will no longer tolerate being sidelined in the future. Neither will it tolerate superficial engagements that do not improve the realities faced by drivers every day.
See also: Rivers AUATON condemns Bolt’s ‘disrespectful’ call for dialogue with drivers
These objections mirror the ones presented by the drivers in Oyo State. According to them, they worry about the lack of transparency that might come with a virtual meeting, noting that they often limit virtual participation.
“Drivers’ voices are often muted, ignored, or sidelined in online sessions, leaving management to dictate terms without fair engagement,” State Chairman, Comrade Abraham, said.
He also noted that virtual meetings have the tendency to exclude a majority of drivers, as a significant number of drivers do not have stable internet connectivity or the resources to join virtual meetings.
This, he says, will automatically exclude a large section of drivers whose concerns are equally valid.
He further pointed out the matter of inadequate representation of drivers’ interests, noting that matters affecting their welfare, earnings, safety, and working conditions require face-to-face dialogue where every driver can freely express concerns without technical or managerial restrictions.
In light of these, the union is insisting that any genuine engagement with drivers must be conducted physically, in the city of Ibadan, to ensure inclusiveness, transparency, and fairness.
“Therefore, we call on all Ibadan Bolt Drivers to stand in unity and boycott the scheduled virtual meeting. We remain committed to dialogue with the company, but only through a physical meeting where drivers can fully participate. Should Bolt Company continue to disregard this legitimate demand for a physical meeting in Ibadan, the Union will be left with no choice but to consider further actions, including peaceful protest and withdrawal of service, until the voices of drivers are duly respected,” Comrade Abraham finished.