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The Profile and Operational Structure of Formal E-Hailing Light Freight Delivery Companies in Metropolitan, Lagos, Nigeria

Sunday I. Ogbene. PhD, Otutu Chideebere Hilary PhD.

Abstract

The rise of e-commerce and digital platforms in Lagos has driven rapid growth in light freight delivery services within the e-hailing sector. This paper examines the Profile and Operational structure of formal e-hailing light freight delivery Companies in Metropolitan, Lagos, with focus on six companies as follows: Brain Express, Gokada, MAX.ng, ACE, Red Star and DHL Express. Using company reports, LAMATA Operational data, and dispatch records for 2026. Operations follow a five-stage process: Order placement, Dispatch and Rider Matching, Pickup and Verification, Transit and Tracking, and Delivery with payment settlement. Service is concentrated in 5 cores LGAs- Ikeja, Eti-osa, Lagos Island, Aimosho and Surulere- creating service gaps in peripheral areas. The study analyzes fleet Composition, service coverage, technology use, and workflow processes. Findings revealed that light freight operations are dominated by motorcycles for intra-city deliveries, with asset-light models accounting 70% of trips and asset-heavy models like Red star and DHL handling bulk B2B Logistics. All companies comply with LAMATA regulations, including Service Entity Permits and remittance of = N20 per trip plus 10% of service charge. The Paper concluded that while technology has improved efficiency, expansion to understand LGAs and policy support for SMEs are needed to ensure equitable growth of light freight e- hailing in Lagos.

Keywords

E-hailingLight FreightDelivery ServicesOperational StructureMetropolitan LagosLogistics.

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