Bolt, the first European super-app, has announced it has quadrupled its business since the start of the pandemic, recording its most successful month on record this July.

Bolt, which launched two new products since the start of the pandemic, has operations in 45 countries and over 500 cities across Europe and Africa now – an increase of over 200% in the period prior to the pandemic.

Globally, Bolt has tripled its number of customers to over 100 million since the beginning of 2020, added more than two million new drivers to the platform, and more than doubled the size of its workforce to over 3000 employees.

The business has also opened several new offices over the past year, including engineering hubs in Berlin and Nairobi, and continues to advertise over 350 open roles with a view to hiring 700 more employees by the end of the year.

The announcement of these new statistics come as Bolt marks its ninth anniversary since Markus Villig founded the company in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2013. Then just a teenager, Markus personally recruited the first drivers to the platform on the streets of Tallinn and has since built a business valued at €7.6bn at the time of its latest funding round.

Markus Villig, CEO and Founder said, “The pandemic was the biggest economic shock in generations, so hitting milestones like 100 million customers and operations in over 500 cities are achievements we’re really proud of.

“When Bolt was first founded, our mission was to challenge the traditional taxi industry in Tallinn through a new ride-hailing service.

"Now our size and the range of products we offer put us in a unique position to revolutionize how people move around the cities. By providing an alternative to private cars, we can help create cities that are greener, safer, and more pleasant to live in.

“It’s important to stay grounded though - rising levels of inflation and interest rates mean we have to be disciplined when assessing how and in what markets we invest. This could mean prioritising growth efforts in our existing markets instead of expanding our services into new countries.

"Our culture of frugality helped us come out of the pandemic in a strong position, but the challenges are not going to stop and the team is focused on preparing for and responding to them.”

Bolt Ghana was launched in Accra in 2017 and now operates in Accra, Kumasi, Koforidua, Sunyani, Cape Coast, Takoradi, Tamale and Ho.

According to David Kotei Nikoi, Country Manager at Bolt in Ghana, “At Bolt, our primary mission is to make urban mobility accessible, quicker and more reliable. So far, we have brought Bolt’s reliable services to eight cities in Ghana, giving the good people of Ghana the opportunity to enjoy and experience our service”.

Despite the challenges and pressures COVID-19 brought upon the economies of the world and especially to Ghana, Bolt Ghana launched its Food app to serve Ghanaians delicious delicacies at their own convenience without risking getting the virus.

Bolt Food was launched in 2020, an easy and accessible platform for restaurants and food vendors to connect with customers without any hassle.

It was the first of its kind by the ride-hailing service provider in Ghana. It was launched with a whole new experience of enjoying up to 50% discount from selected online food vendors and having food delivered to the patron’s doorstep.

Ali Zaryab, Bolt Food Country Manager emphasised that, “As Bolt Food, we have leveraged our experience in operations, logistics and existing technology along with hundreds of thousands of couriers to build the best food delivery network where we operate.

"We have thousands of users who already actively use our product and trust the Bolt brand. So, offering a new product for our active users was the logical next step for us.”

Bolt Food is available in Osu, East Legon, Airport, Cantonments, Tema, Kasoa, Weija, Dzorwulu, Labone, Ridge, Tesano, Abelemkpe, Ayawaso Central, East, North and West Municipal Districts, Osu-Circle, Airport-37, East Legon, Lapaz, Sowutuom, Tantra Hill, Taifa, Awoshie, Adenta, Ashaley Botwe, Ashongman, and Ogbodjo. Bolt Food has also expanded into new areas: East Legon Hills, Nana Kurom, Santeo, Lebanon, Tema Golf Park, and Lakeside Estates.

Bolt Food has been awarded as the National FMCG Food Logistics Company of the Year and the Brand of the Year at the Corporate Brand awards this year.

As Bolt celebrates, they would like to reiterate their commitment to ensuring that every rider enjoys the convenience and safety of each trip as a part of our service provision.