Uber and Bolt promise convenience, but recent incidents across Nigeria show how easily a ride can turn dangerous—especially for women. From violent threats to stolen belongings, these stories cast a shadow on the seemingly safe. Before you book your next ride, these 7 safety tips could save your life — especially for women using ride-hailing apps in Nigeria.
1. Always Confirm PIN and Trip Start
In Abuja, a lady boarded a ride late at night only to realize the driver never entered the Uber PIN or officially started the trip—effectively leaving her vulnerable When challenged, he threatened her and sped off with her luggage. When the driver arrives, visibly check the PIN and wait until the trip officially starts on your app before boarding.
2. Avoid Traveling Alone Late at Night
Numerous women report feeling unsafe on late-night rides. A Lagos court case revealed a Bolt driver who made lewd comments and caused a passenger to disembark immediately. Share your arrival time and route with someone trusted and ideally wait in well-lit areas with others nearby.
3. Share Your Live Location with an App—Not Just the Ride-Hailing App
Built-in ride-tracking features may freeze or hide location once the ride is off. Instead, use NauNauSOS—a personal safety app that shares live location background updates, sends SOS alerts, and connects your ride details to trusted contacts. Before every ride, activate live tracking so someone is always watching—even if the ride app goes silent.
4. Inspect the Vehicle Before Boarding
After dark, Nigerians experienced driver scams and attacks in known low-light areas like Mukoko and Abuja suburbs. Check the car’s color, make, license plate, and whether the driver matches their profile—before approaching the vehicle.
5. Keep Communication Open — Use Emergency SOS Wisely
Many negative encounters happened when communication failed. You may need to instantly alert someone in case of danger. With NauNauSOS, a single plugin sends your live location to three trusted contacts at once—even if your phone is locked. Familiarize friends or family with the SOS tool so they act fast if it’s triggered.
6. Trust Your Instincts—Cancel or Stop the Ride
Rude or unwanted advances often follow subtle bad behavior. One passenger reported a driver making sexual advances, she stopped the ride early and indicated discomfort on the app, don’t feel guilty for canceling. It might inconvenience someone, but it protects you.
7. Limit Personal Info on Ride Profiles
Past offenders have traced passengers through profile names and social handles. Use a nickname or initials instead of your full name. Don’t add social media links. Keep your privacy intact.
Why NauNauSOS Is a Ride-Hail Game-Changer
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Continuous Background Tracking | Your moves are visible even with screen off |
| One-tap SOS with Silent Mode | Helps without alerting the driver |
| QR-based Trusted Contact Setup | Fast, secure sharing |
| Cross-platform Compatibility | Works on Android and iOS |
Unlike social or ride apps, NauNauSOS is built for safety-first scenarios. It puts you in immediate control—especially crucial when someone else is behind the wheel.
Convenience can’t come at the cost of safety. Ride-hailing in Nigeria isn’t inherently unsafe—but a single wrong trip can change everything. By combining:
- Smart ride precautions
- Live tracking via NauNauSOS
- Awareness and quick action
you stay one step ahead of danger.
Don’t wait till it’s too late:
➡️ Download NauNauSOS on the App Store or Google Play
➡️ Try the free SOS and tracking features now
➡️ Use ride-hailing smarter—and safer—TONIGHT