Rising transportation costs are creating another challenge for Nigerian businesses that rely on frequent deliveries, particularly small and online merchants that often fulfil orders individually. As delivery expenses continue to rise, businesses are increasingly looking for technology-driven ways to reduce logistics costs without compromising speed and reliability.
Against this backdrop, technology company ChamsAccess is positioning its new MarketRide platform as an alternative approach to the traditional one-order, one-trip delivery model.
MarketRide is a digital commerce and logistics ecosystem that brings consumers, merchants and riders together through three interconnected services: MarketRide User for consumers, MarketRide Merchant for businesses and MarketRide Go for delivery services.
Transport Costs Add Pressure on Businesses
The scale of the transportation challenge is reflected in recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The average fare for bus journeys within Nigerian cities rose to N1,431.25 in May 2026, representing a 38.63 per cent increase from N1,032.46 recorded a year earlier.
Motorcycle transport fares increased even more sharply, rising 52.45 per cent year-on-year to N1,072.51.
For businesses that depend on frequent deliveries, higher transport and fuel costs can quickly erode already-thin profit margins. Online merchants, in particular, may have to absorb part of the additional expense or transfer it to customers through higher delivery fees and product prices.
This makes logistics efficiency increasingly important as Nigeria's digital commerce market expands.
MarketRide Bets on Multiple Deliveries Per Trip
MarketRide Go is built around a multi-order delivery model that allows riders to fulfil several orders within the same geographical area during a single trip.
ChamsAccess says the approach is intended to reduce unnecessary mileage and fuel consumption while potentially allowing riders to generate more income from each journey. By grouping deliveries based on location, the platform aims to improve the economics of last-mile logistics for both riders and merchants.
The logistics service also comes with features including GPS tracking, OTP-based delivery verification, rider training, branded equipment and prompt payment settlement.
The model could be particularly useful in densely populated urban areas, where multiple orders can be concentrated within relatively small locations. However, its effectiveness will depend heavily on having enough orders in the same areas to make multi-order routing commercially viable.
Lower Merchant Commissions
For businesses, MarketRide Merchant provides tools for managing orders, automatically dispatching riders, monitoring sales and gaining insights into customer behaviour.
ChamsAccess said merchant commissions will range from 5 per cent to 15 per cent, depending on the service and category. The company contrasts this with some competing platforms where commissions and associated charges can exceed 30 per cent.
However, broader industry benchmarking would be required to determine how MarketRide's overall cost structure compares with competing delivery and commerce platforms, particularly once other potential fees are taken into account.
Large Digital Market, but Adoption Will Be Key
The platform is entering a potentially sizeable market as more Nigerians gain access to mobile internet and digital services.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that Nigeria had 154.35 million active internet subscriptions on mobile networks in April 2026. That provides a large base of digitally connected consumers and businesses that could potentially participate in online commerce.
Still, internet access alone does not guarantee the success of a digital marketplace or delivery network.
MarketRide will need to build sufficient density among merchants, consumers and riders in individual locations. Without enough orders within nearby areas, the multi-order delivery model could struggle to achieve the efficiency gains it promises.
The company will therefore face the familiar challenge confronting marketplace businesses: building both sides of the platform at the same time while maintaining reliable service.
ChamsAccess Sees Logistics as a Growth Opportunity
ChamsAccess Chief Executive Officer, Olayemi Odufeso, said the company developed the platform to address gaps in Nigeria's growing digital commerce ecosystem.
“We built MarketRide to close the gap between ambitious entrepreneurs, and consumers ready to embrace digital commerce. This is not just for Lagos, but for every urban centre where inefficient logistics is holding back economic growth.”
The company's proposition ultimately comes down to whether better coordination can solve some of the inefficiencies in Nigeria's last-mile delivery market.
Rather than simply increasing the number of riders on the road, MarketRide is betting that grouping orders, automating dispatch and connecting merchants and consumers on a single platform can lower the cost of moving goods.
With transportation expenses continuing to rise, that approach could become increasingly attractive to Nigerian merchants. The real test, however, will be whether ChamsAccess can achieve enough market density and operational scale to turn the concept into consistently cheaper and more efficient deliveries.