Only 4% of e-hailing drivers are women, despite being 70% of passengers

Only 4 per cent of e-hailing drivers are women. This is according to the Gig Economy in Nigeria 2026 report released by Bolt, in conjunction with leading research company Ipsos. Conversely, an overwhelming 96 per cent of drivers are men, establishing the space as acutely male-dominated.

Read also: Meet Chidinma, the female Uber driver who dropped her aviation degree to embrace the road

This is in spite of the fact that women make up a majority of e-hailing passengers, with 70 per cent.

“Ride-hailing adoption in Nigeria is driven by a young, urban, and digitally active population — with women representing the majority of users. Most passengers use ride-hailing apps several times a week, reflecting growing reliance on app-based transport for convenience, flexibility, and safety in everyday mobility,” the report reads.

E-hailing gender breakdown

Conversely, only 30 per cent of e-hailing passengers are men, which makes the driver-to-passenger gender ratio hardly proportionate, fueling the belief that a female-only e-hailing platform will quickly steal a major chunk of the market share.

But would this really be the case?

Perhaps a look at why women do not generally fancy commercial driving might give us some insight.

Why there are fewer women e-hailing drivers

Speaking on why there are fewer women taking on the e-hailing space, Head of Regulatory & Public Policy for Africa, Weyinmi Aghadiuno, while pointing out that this is a global reality in transportation generally and not peculiar to e-hailing, noted that the first reason is safety.

“I’ll say number one is safety. Because we can’t predict human behaviour, the first step they take or the first thing they think about is their safety. They have no idea who they would encounter when they pick a ride. That’s one thing I know is a barrier to entry for women,” she said on Arise News Business Update.

Taking it a bit further, Chidinma, a female driver whose story Technext documented, pointed out that she hardly drives at night because it is dangerous, especially for a woman. Narrating ugly incidents she had encountered while driving at night, she noted that once she had a flat tyre and a damaged fan belt in a lonely area.

She was scared and really panicky, but thankfully, a kind-hearted man helped.

Another reason why women are not flocking to driving is bias. This, according to Aghadiuno, is based on the general thinking that men are better drivers than women, a notion she describes as factually untrue.

“Most of the accidents, about 98 per cent, are caused by men, not women. Women are better drivers, and we actually have more women taking on defensive driving classes than men,” she said.

See also: 70% of e-hailing cab users in Nigeria are women- new Bolt report shows

Aside from avoiding late-night driving, life as a female driver isn’t much different from that of a man, according to Chidinma. She pointed out that whatever differences there are are not a matter of capability but driving style.

Chidinma, our featured woman driver, agreed that women are safer drivers than men. This is because they are more cautious, pay closer attention to rules, speed limits, and surroundings, and handle vehicles gently, avoiding unnecessary risks while ensuring constant maintenance for their cars.

She also credits female drivers with better communication and customer interaction as they are more likely to stay calm, polite, and approachable, leaving passengers feeling safer with them.

Female Bolt driver

She, nonetheless, also noted that men have certain advantages. One of them is sheer physical strength, which helps them work for long hours and handle physically demanding challenges like changing tyres and fixing other minor faults that develop during the course of work.

She also noted that men are more confident in difficult conditions, as many men feel more comfortable driving in rough terrains or at high speeds, or even at night. She also credits men with making quicker decisions, especially in fast-moving traffic.

“Generally, male drivers tend to be more aggressive and confident, while female drivers are often more careful and calculated on the road. These are just tendencies, not rules; every driver is different,” she said.

Another factor limiting women’s participation is access to financing.

“If the barrier to entry for financing could be worked on across the board, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa, then I think we would see more women on the platform,” Aghadiuno said.