Nigerians and South Africans are embroiled in a social media feud on the platform X (formerly Twitter), targeting each other’s Bolt and Uber drivers with a series of retaliatory pranks.
The conflict began when some South African users started booking fake rides in Nigeria, leading to frustration and financial losses for Nigerian e-hailing drivers.
Screenshots and videos have circulated, showing South Africans booking rides in Lagos areas like Ikeja, Satellite Town, and Yaba, only to cancel them upon the drivers’ arrival. One South African user boasted, “Cancellation fee is only 400 naira, which is R4.50—no need to worry,” encouraging others to join in the prank.
In response, Nigerian users began pulling similar pranks on South African drivers. A Nigerian user tweeted, “South Africans, it is Bolt for Bolt. We mount,” signifying the intent to match the pranks in full force.
The feud has intensified, with Nigerians expressing their determination to outdo their South African counterparts. Adding fuel to the fire, some users referenced recent xenophobia-related controversies, including the case of Nigerian model Chidimma Adetshina, who withdrew from the Miss South Africa beauty pageant after her mother was accused of fraud by South African authorities. “After much careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw myself from the competition for the safety and wellbeing of my family and I,” Adetshina wrote on Instagram, further exacerbating tensions between the two communities.
