As Nigerian e-hailing drivers continue to look for ways to improve their earnings, an inDrive passenger and driver have clashed over extra charges for air conditioning (AC). The incident which took place in front of Victory Estate in Lagos saw the rider challenging the driver to justify his demand of an extra 900 naira on the trip.

In a video currently making the round on social media, the visibly shaken rider, a yet-to-be-identified woman, could be seen yelling at the driver, asking why she has to pay more than the prescribed fee for the ride to enjoy the benefit of air conditioning that should normally come with any e-hailing ride. She also questioned why the driver would drop her in front of her estate gate rather than take her home because she refused to pay the additional charges.

“My ride is 8,100 naira, you are telling me for you to on AC for me I will pay you 9,000 naira, how? I don’t understand. From where? Ride is 8,100 naira, why is your driver telling me for him to on AC for me I will pay him 9000 naira. Why? inDriver why? Your drivers are something else. Every day they are complaining about your drivers, every single day. Now your driver dropped me in front of my estate, telling me that he will not take me inside if I don’t pay him 9,000 naira. This is where he will drop me. Who does that?” she shouted.

In his defence, the adamant driver claimed they both had an agreement that beyond the fare agreed on the app, the lady would pay him extra for the ride.

“I tell you abi I no tell you? Enter the car let me take you back to where I picked you from. You don’t want me to make money?” the driver replied in pidgin.

Offline fare negotiation on inDrive is quite strange, seeing as it is the only app whose model allows drivers to choose their own fares in a bidding process. This means the N8100 fare on the app is likely the bid made by the driver himself. The question then is; if he wanted N9,000 for the ride, why did he not make the bid on the app?

No AC rides becoming rampant, not just inDrive

This is coming as e-hailing drivers continue to look for possible means of increasing their earnings amid the skyrocketing cost of fuel and rising inflation. With app companies reluctant to raise fares in consonance with the rising costs for fear of losing customers, the drivers appear to be taking matters into their own hands by physically negotiating higher fares and refusing to put on the air conditioning to save fuel.

In a recent report, Technext highlighted the trend of offline negotiations and AC-less rides that have become commonplace in Southern Nigeria. Indeed, Bolt drivers in the Southern cities of Calabar and Uyo have made it a policy to put off their air-conditioning during trips. This was disclosed by several riders who used e-hailing services while in those cities.

According to the passengers, the drivers also negotiate their own fares, usually double what was quoted on the app. One passenger, Ola Dami narrated how he finally agreed to pay nearly double the fare of what was indicated in the app only to be told the double fare does not include air conditioning.

“Do you know that if you book a ride in Calabar, they will not put on the AC for you even after negotiating the price offline? I have ordered twice in Calabar. When the driver comes they will negotiate the price and they will still not put on the AC. I was shocked because in Lagos drivers beg you to put off their AC and if you refuse, they will leave it on,” Ola said.

Another passenger narrated how he endured two weeks of navigating around Calabar in e-hailing vehicles that lacked basic comfort and how drivers demanded extra pay to put on the air conditioning.

“My experience with Bolt drivers in Calabar, I really suffered. Because I spent two weeks there and I travelled from one place to another. If you want AC you pay a different special money. They call it comfort money. The thing shocked me. If riders like let them cancel, if you hail another driver it will be the same thing,” he said.

See also: Bolt passengers in Calabar, Uyo endure sweaty rides as drivers switch off air conditioning

While stakeholders are eager to see what policy direction the ride-hailing companies will adopt in response to the offline negotiation and no AC trends since they reduce the premium quality of rides promised by the e-hailing companies, Bolt, Uber and inDrive appear to be helpless in the face of the increasingly popular trends.

Technext reached out to inDrive and will update the post once the company responds.