How freight pricing actually works in Nigeria, what you're paying for

The seven things any honest haulage quote should cover

Every truck movement in Nigeria has the same underlying cost structure, regardless of who you're booking. Understanding the line items lets you sanity-check any quote you're given.

1. Diesel for the loaded leg. The biggest single variable. Diesel prices float, a route that quoted ₦X last month will quote differently this month if pump prices moved.
2. Diesel for the return leg. Carriers price the round trip even when they're delivering you one-way, because they need to get the truck back to base or to its next load.
3. Tolls + checkpoints. Real out-of-pocket costs on inter-state routes, Lagos, Ibadan tolls, Niger bridge, etc. Some carriers itemise this, others absorb it.
4. Driver per diem + assistant. Daily wages for the time on the road, food, accommodation if overnight.
5. Truck wear-and-tear. Tyres, brakes, suspension. Trucks doing long inter-state runs depreciate faster.
6. Insurance + permits. GIT (Goods-in-Transit) cover, motor policy, and any operating permits the route requires.
7. Carrier margin. What's left after the above is the carrier's actual earnings. On a fair quote it's a sensible number; on an inflated one it can be 30 - 50% of the headline figure.

The broker tax most shippers don't see

Here's the thing nobody tells you when you book through an agent. The carrier the agent calls quotes them, say, ₦400,000 for a route. The agent quotes you ₦600,000. You pay ₦600,000. The agent pays the carrier ₦400,000. The spread, ₦200,000, is the broker tax, invisible to you, never itemised, and entirely the agent's profit on top of whatever fee they were already charging you for the work.

This is so normalised in Nigerian logistics that most shippers assume it's the cost of doing business. It isn't. It's a marketplace friction. The carrier doesn't get more money for doing the job; the agent does, for being between you and the carrier.

What changes the price legitimately

• Distance: obvious, but it's the round-trip distance, not the one-way. A 300 km delivery is effectively a 600 km truck movement.
• Vehicle class: motorcycle dispatch < pickup < van < small truck < large truck < flatbed/lowbed. Each step up adds capability and cost.
• Cargo weight + volume: if you over-spec the truck, you over-pay. If you under-spec, the carrier refuses at the gate.
• Special handling: hazmat, cold chain, fragile, oversized, each adds compliance or equipment cost.
• Pickup timing: same-day urgent costs more than scheduled-for-Friday.
• Origin, destination pair: popular lanes (Lagos, Ibadan, Lagos, Port Harcourt) are competitive. Niche destinations (a village off the trunk road) command a premium for the empty return.
• Diesel price index: the single biggest week-to-week mover.

What does NOT change the price legitimately

• "Demand is high today", when the trucker still has trucks parked at the depot.
• "The price went up because you waited", unless you actually pushed pickup into demurrage / off-cycle hours.
• "My boss says ₦X", said when you're being passed up a broker chain.

How transparent pricing works on Liftzor

Post your shipment once. Verified carriers see your route, your cargo, your vehicle class, and they quote. You see each price next to each carrier's verification status, ratings and inspection history. No layer between you and them.

Most of the payment stays in escrow until safe delivery, so you're not paying upfront and hoping. The carrier knows they get paid when the cargo lands. That alignment is what makes the marketplace work without phone-tag and trust-fall.

Three tactical tips before you book

1. Get two or three quotes for the same lane. If they cluster within 10 - 15% of each other, that's the market. If one is dramatically lower, ask why, fair questions like inspection date, insurance cover, driver experience.
2. Specify vehicle class accurately. A 600 kg load doesn't need a flatbed. Be precise on weight and dimensions when posting, saves money and avoids gate-rejections.
3. Schedule with lead time. Posting 24 - 48 h before pickup gets you 3 - 5x more quotes than "I need a truck in two hours." Same-day urgency is its own price tier.

Related reading

• Customs broker vs carrier, who does what in Nigerian freight
• Truck types in Nigerian freight, choosing the right vehicle
• Onne Port demurrage and storage, what each day really costs
• Lagos to Kano container moves, costs, timing, route choices
• Reefer logistics in Nigeria, cold-chain done right