Tunisia threatens to suspend Bolt for alleged tax evasion and lack of license

Tunisia’s Transport ministry has moved to suspend Bolt, one of the country’s leading ride-hailing services, over allegations of tax evasion, money laundering, and operating without the proper licenses.

Ministry officials revealed that they had seized 12 million dinars ($3.8 million) from accounts connected to several apps, including Bolt, asserting that the funds were illegally transferred abroad. This action comes as Tunisia prepares to launch a state-backed ride-hailing platform aimed at regulating fares and managing the sector more effectively.

The upcoming state-run app is expected to cap ride prices at 1.5 times the traditional taxi meter rate, addressing drivers’ demands for higher fares. The ministry’s statement confirmed that the new platform would use registered taxis and offer features similar to those found on international platforms, such as digital payments and real-time tracking. This move is part of broader efforts to reform Tunisia’s transport sector and ensure that revenue remains within the country, unlike foreign-based apps that allegedly transfer earnings abroad.

Bolt, however, has denied the allegations, describing them as “completely unfounded.” The company argued that the actions taken by local authorities had been without the involvement of an investigating judge and that it had not been given the opportunity to contest the claims. Bolt warned that banning foreign ride-hailing services could harm market competition and create a worrying precedent for the industry. Despite the allegations, the company confirmed that its services would remain operational in Tunisia, with drivers and customers continuing to use the app as usual.