Haul247, a Nigerian end-to-end logistics tech platform connects businesses to haulage and warehousing assets.
Haul247, a Nigerian end-to-end logistics tech platform has raised US$3 million in seed funding to increase its market share in Nigeria, expand to other African markets, recruit talent, and develop its technology, according to the company. The platform aims to connect businesses to haulage and warehousing assets within a single ecosystem.
Haul 247 – Connecting companies with shipping solutions
Founded by Sehinde Afolayan, Tobi Obasa and Akindele Phillips in 2020, during the COVID lockdowns, Haul247 is a marketplace that connects companies with shippers and storage options, seeking to reduce transportation costs and to provide all-round efficiencies in shipping and logistics.
The company has a fleet of over 1,000 trucks and approximately 151,000 sqm of warehouse space across various locations, and is now set for further growth after completing the USD 3 million seed round. The round was led by Alitheia Capital via its uMunthu Fund, and also involves debt funding from Investment One. The investment follows a pre-seed funding round in 2021, while last year Haul247 was selected as one of the recipients of the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund.
A lack of infrastructure
CEO Afolayan said this round of funding would enable the company to cement its position as Africa’s Airbnb for trucks and warehouses, “Africa’s logistics sector continues to be hampered by a lack of supporting infrastructure, bottlenecks in service delivery, and a widespread informal approach to logistics business. Over 80 per cent of the market is dominated by informal carriers operating with one to three vehicles,” he said.
“We founded Haul247 to address the supply-demand mismatch in the ecosystem, and this funding will enable us to optimize logistics service delivery in key African markets. With the support of our investors, we will expand to new markets, recruit more talent and develop our technology to make logistics even more accessible and efficient for businesses in Africa.”
A seamless logistics solution
Tokunboh Ishmael, managing partner at Alitheia Capital, said her firm was excited to be at the forefront of optimizing logistics service delivery in key African markets, as trade and commerce were key levers for driving development, “Our investment further enables Haul247 to provide a seamless logistics solution for transporting and storing goods across the continent in a way that unlocks value and amplifies impact for individuals and companies throughout the value chain,” she said.
Trella and Messenger are just two examples of African logistics startups that are seeking to address the continent’s specific challenges as the sector gains increasing attention from global VC firms.