Frequently asked questions

Clear answers for guests and hosts. Need more help? Contact support.

What is Nova Rides?

Nova Rides is a peer-to-peer car sharing platform in Nigeria. Rent a car from verified hosts or list your own vehicle and earn when you're not using it.

How do I book a car?

Search by city and dates, open a listing, choose your rental period, and submit a booking request or use instant book where available. After the host confirms (if required), pay securely with Flutterwave.

Why do I need to verify my identity?

Hosts trust verified guests. Upload your government ID and driver's licence in Profile before your first trip. Expired licences must be renewed to book again.

Which payment methods are supported?

Nigerian cards and bank transfers via Flutterwave (NGN).

What is the security deposit?

A refundable hold of 25% of your rental subtotal (minimum one day's rate), collected at checkout and held for 72 hours after the trip. Possible charges (late return, fuel shortfall, excess mileage, cleaning, damage) use a published % of the car's daily rate and are taken from this deposit when applicable. If nothing is reported, the deposit is refunded to your original payment method.

What can I be charged after a trip?

Late return: 10% of the daily rate per hour after 30 minutes' grace (max 1 day). Fuel shortfall: 15-50% of the daily rate by how far below pickup level. Excess mileage: 2% of the daily rate per 10 km over the included allowance. Cleaning/smoking: 25% of the daily rate. Traffic/tolls: exact amount. Damage: based on evidence, up to your full deposit (larger claims go through insurance). You'll see this schedule at checkout.

How do I list my car?

Register as a host, complete verification, then add your vehicle from the Host dashboard with photos, pricing, availability, and pickup rules. Listings may be reviewed before going live.

When do hosts get paid?

In one settlement per trip: 80% of the rental subtotal plus any approved deposit withhold and reimbursements. Clean trips pay after the 72-hour hold. If you file a trip issue or reimbursement, payout waits until Nova Rides resolves it, then rental and approved amounts are paid together via Flutterwave (typically within a few business days once eligible). Add bank details under Host dashboard → Wallet.

Can my host see where I'm driving?

No. Hosts never see your live location or trip telemetry. All vehicle tracking is handled by Nova Rides only, to protect your privacy.

What if my car is stolen or returned late?

Nova Rides-only tracking on listed vehicles helps us recover stolen cars with law enforcement. For late returns, we contact the guest first. If the vehicle isn't back within an hour, Nova Rides runs our recovery protocol to get your car back.

Can I cancel a booking?

Cancel from your booking before pickup. At least 48 hours before the scheduled start, the booking amount is refundable, including the service fee and insurance fee. From 24 to 48 hours, 75% of the rental charge and insurance fee is refundable and the amount kept from the rental cannot exceed one day. From 12 to 24 hours, that share is 50% and the cap is two days. Under 12 hours, before the trip starts, the share is 25% and the cap is three days. The service fee is not refunded in those closer windows. Tax follows the amount refunded. The security deposit is separate. A host or Nova Rides cancellation that is not your fault refunds the booking amount. See the Cancellation and Refund Policy for no-shows, safety issues, early return, and exceptional circumstances.

Is insurance included?

Nova Rides partners with Coronation Insurance and is not itself an insurer. Motor insurance for the vehicle and Personal Accident cover for a guest are separate. A booking is not a policy, and neither arrangement covers every accident or type of damage. See the Insurance page for the figures that are confirmed and for what has to be read from the issued policy.

How do I contact support?

Use Inbox for action-required items, or open a support ticket from Help → Contact support. Our team responds to tickets in the admin queue.