Shipping now primary concern for African, Nigerian merchants — SHiip co-founders

The co-founders of a tech-driven delivery firm, SHiiP, have said that shipping is now a primary concern to African and Nigerian merchants and business owners, and that pragmatic, innovative solutions need to be adopted by logistics businesses to address some of the concerns.

SHiiP’s co-founder and CEO, Quadry Olalekan, noted that Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya constitute more than half of the online shoppers in sub-Saharan Africa, and that about 81 per cent of Nigerian consumers are shopping more online.

According to Olalekan, some of the challenges facing the Nigerian logistics industry include, but are not limited to, visibility, infrastructural decay, increasing customer demand dynamics, risk management, and cost optimisation.

However, he added that, despite these challenges, the logistics industry is adding value to the Nigerian business and the economy in general.

Olalekan stated that the Nigerian logistics industry faced its most challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown and that was when they founded their logistics start-up, SHiiP, out of the need to solve some of the problems and challenges.

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SHiiP’s co-founder and CPO, Ridwan Rasheed, said that one of the ways the country’s logistic business is surviving is because of innovative start-ups like SHiiP.

Rasheed added that irrespective of the economic challenges they face, they plan on growing their team, while looking towards expanding into other African countries like Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda.

He further added that SHiiP has onboarded and collaborates with 51 notable carriers, including DHL, FedEx/Redstar, GIG, Kwik, UPS, Jumia Logistics, Kxpress, and Courier Plus, in covering local, national and international shipments.

Rasheed noted that in the past 15 months, the start-up has shipped over 10,000 items and boasts a client base including Custruct, Brandbox, Mavins Record, Pepperest, SofreshNG, Flutterwave, Bumpa, etc.