By Maria Kalamatas | July 28, 2025
Lagos, July 28 — Across Africa, freight companies are grappling with a costly problem: too many trucks and warehouses sit unused while demand for transport keeps climbing. Haul247, a Lagos-based logistics platform, is betting that technology can close this gap — and in the process, transform how cargo moves across the continent.
“On some routes, trucks are inactive for nearly half of their potential working hours,” said Tobi Obasa, Haul247’s co-founder and chief executive. “Our approach is straightforward: connect shippers with idle capacity the moment it’s available. Everyone saves time, and operators stop losing money on empty runs.”
The Cost of Standing Still
In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, moving goods remains far more expensive than in other regions. Transportation can account for more than half of total logistics costs, and underutilized fleets are a major culprit. Companies in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya report average capacity losses of 25 to 40 percent, largely due to mismatched routes and bottlenecks in infrastructure.
Haul247’s digital marketplace — powered by live tracking and AI-driven load matching — is helping reduce those inefficiencies. Exporters working with the platform have reported faster delivery times, with transit windows cut by nearly a fifth, and a 25 percent boost in fleet usage within the first quarter of adoption.
Making Assets Smarter, Not Bigger
The company is also experimenting with tools for the warehousing sector. Using predictive analytics, it pairs cold chain operators with seasonal producers, ensuring refrigeration units don’t sit empty between harvest cycles.
“The logistics sector here doesn’t need endless new assets,” Obasa said. “What it needs is to make the ones we already have work harder and smarter.”
A Catalyst for Intra-African Trade
The stakes are high. As the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) starts to reshape regional commerce, experts say shaving down inefficiencies could release billions in savings and help African exports compete more effectively abroad. Regulatory delays and uneven digital adoption, however, remain hurdles.
Even so, interest in Haul247’s model is growing. Several regional private equity groups are in talks to back the company’s expansion into Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire by the end of 2025, sources close to the matter confirmed.
Why It Matters:
By finding value in every idle truck and underused warehouse, Haul247 is doing more than improving efficiency — it’s helping build the backbone for a stronger, more connected trade network across Africa.
Section: EchoChain (Africa & Tech)
