Nigerian tech-enabled cross-border logistics company, Cargoplug has expanded into the United Kingdom with the launch of its first self-managed hub.
This strategic move comes in response to growing and evolving customer demands and the corresponding need to bolster its service offerings across the UK-Nigeria trade route.
With this expansion, Cargoplug strengthens its position as a key player in transatlantic logistics, delivering faster shipping, competitive rates, and smooth import-export services between Europe and both nations by air and sea.
Founded in Nigeria in 2013 by Kikelomo Fola-Ogunniya and Ujama Akpata, Cargoplug (formerly Jand2Gidi) started with a mission to solve the everyday challenges people face when sending and receiving goods between the UK and Nigeria.
The founders created a solution that fixed the pain points experienced by individuals and businesses, ensuring a faster, transparent, more affordable, and reliable service.
Today, Cargoplug uses its proprietary technology to also serve B2B and B2B2C markets, offering seamless API integrations with clients, including e-commerce platforms, logistics providers and global lifestyle brands.
This enables clients to improve service delivery and revenue flows by offering the same value-added logistics services to their customers, spanning efficient cross-border and nationwide deliveries and covering everything from overseas pickup and customs clearing to insurance and last-mile delivery.
Adding to Cargoplug’s recent success, the company has already fulfilled over 1 million packages in the past 12 years and is now one of the fastest-growing logistics partners for high-growth businesses in fashion, manufacturing, construction, procurement and oil services. Cargoplug is also backed by the renowned Techstars D.C. Accelerator Program, supported by JP Morgan.
Its recent strategic investment in a self-run hub in the UK allows it to manage operations directly, reducing delivery timelines whilst offering more affordable shipping rates from the UK.
As trade volumes and diaspora connections between Nigeria and the UK continue to surge, Cargoplug is best positioned to capitalise on the opportunity. This is even as initiatives like the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) are projected to further boost trade between the two nations.
Kikelomo Fola-Ogunniya, co-founder at Cargoplug commented, “After over a decade of exponential growth through valued partnerships, we’re thrilled to launch our first self-run UK hub. This sees us doubling down on our commitment to being the go-to logistics firm for the movement of goods between the UK and Nigeria.
“This is a mission that originated after our firsthand experience of the challenges of costly, delayed, and opaque shipping fees, tariffs and processes after returning to Nigeria from studying in the UK. Establishing our on-the-ground presence here was the natural next step in our growth as a company, even as we now set sights on some of our other high traffic markets such as the US, Turkey and China”
“With our new UK hub, customers can now either drop off their goods, send them to us directly, or have us pick up from anywhere in the UK,” added Ujama Akpata, co-founder of Cargoplug.
“We are now able to streamline operations and cut our prices, all while maintaining our reliable weekly Thursday dispatch and 7 to 10 working day delivery window. We look forward to better serving our growing customer base and delivering the trusted, seamless logistics experience Cargoplug is known for.”
