Kobo360, the Nigerian truck-hailing startup backed by Goldman Sachs, is set to launch HaulSight, a fleet management software designed to help businesses track vehicles, plan routes, and access invoice discounting.
Developed in 2024, HaulSight provides Kobo360 an opportunity to generate new revenue streams from its large corporate clients, like Flour Mills, Dangote, and Unilever, which operate extensive in-house fleets.
Unlike Kobo360’s traditional truck-hailing platform, HaulSight is purely a software solution, eliminating the need to manage drivers, source trucks, or bear cargo liabilities. This shift allows the company to bypass challenges in the aggregator model, such as negotiating between truck drivers, who seek higher fares, and cargo owners, who must keep costs low.
The introduction of HaulSight comes amid rising fuel prices, which have shrunk driver margins and pressured Kobo360 to reduce its commission rate from 20% in 2019 to just 8% in 2021. Competing with established fleet management software providers in the region, HaulSight will have to carve out a niche within a limited market of large businesses like Flour Mills and Dangote, where local providers often charge between ₦100,000 and ₦150,000 per vehicle per month.
According to logistics expert Alex Adenuga, CEO of Movam, large companies value the cost savings and visibility that fleet management software can offer. However, sales cycles with major corporates can be lengthy. “It could take a year if you’re lucky,” he said. Fortunately, Kobo360’s long-standing presence in B2B logistics could accelerate sales through its existing relationships with major clients.
Switching costs may pose additional challenges, as established companies often hesitate to change providers. For instance, a well-known Nigerian manufacturer has used Nova Truck for years and might find it difficult to transition to a new system.
Despite this, there is a growing demand for efficient truck management solutions.
“Truck logistics is a chaotic industry,” an anonymous B2B expert stated.
As HaulSight rolls out, Kobo360 joins other logistics companies like SendStack in shifting from the aggregator model to offer fleet management software.
