By Dirisu Yakubu

A freight management company, OnePort 365, has said that is ready to cause a radical change in the freighting system of Nigeria and Africa by making the burdensome challenges of importing and exporting goods and service stress-free.

Co-founder of the freighting company, Hio Sola-Usidame, explained that there is the need to make changes that will transform Africa’s participation in global trade, adding that OnePort 365 is committed in making this change.

He said: “We are aware of the challenges involved when dealing with the import and export of goods from this part of the world. We deal with a lot of exporters daily and the process can be quite complex.

“You have to deal with different intermediaries, different channels and constantly communicate across other lines including emails, phone calls, and various platforms have been able to streamline that process for cross border trade using technology.

“Our purpose is to usher in a radical change that enhances Africa’s participation in global trade with a complete systemic transformation. We have developed a freight management platform that integrates your containerised freight processes in a simple, orderly and efficient format. Our solutions are optimised for ease, powered by technology and built for Africa.”

Addressing the issue of improving the freighting system and overcoming challenges, he said there is the need to structure the freight forwarding system where the level of professionalism improves.

According to him, “We have many freight forwarders and clearing agents who are not licensed. If we can add structure to the supply chain process and are supported by regulators, it will go a long way in rebuilding a more reliable freight forwarding system

“We see competition as an opportunity for collaboration. When it comes to process and technology, the difference is clear. Our shipment process is streamlined and simplified compared to how other industry players have structured theirs.

“If we are going to constantly improve and encourage exports out of Nigeria, we need to be able to compete on the international stage, we need to improve on the transit and gate in time of containers. We need to be competitive as a country and the first step is ensuring that our processes are streamlined as much as possible.

“We are building an unprecedented operating system for trade for Africa. We see this as a new way for cross-border trade. As long as we have everyone on board, we are quite confident we will make this work.

“Technology doesn’t have to be expensive. It becomes costly only if the process behind the tech is handled by inexperienced hands. We are well experienced in the traditional space, so we identified and knew the bottleneck before digitizing the freight process.”

Speaking in the same vein, Fasina Dolapo , Head, Marketing and Communications said that the OnePort 365 platform serves as a one-stop-shop for all clients in the freighting industry, maintaining that with a simplified pricing structure and instant quotes, booking can be made in a few minutes.

She explained that “With access to a personalized shipment dashboard, users of the platform get 100 per cent visibility. Furthermore, with our tracking module, traders can monitor their shipments (both local and international) from anywhere in the world. As a result, you have absolute visibility and control over the status of your shipment.

“One point we would like to highlight is that we give you that tech strength with an experienced service advantage. We have been in this industry for years and have a strong team of professional freight forwarders, licensed customs brokers, and extensive experience with container shipment processes, whether locally or internationally.

“OnePort 365 is for the African SME trader looking to simplify the complexities they consistently suffer when shipping their containerized consignment. Our SME clients are from various industries, including agro-allied and agribusiness, solid minerals, recycling and manufacturing. The platform is very SME friendly, and 60 per cent of our clients are SMEs.

“It is for the SME who necessarily does not have the time or investment required to put together a technical or efficient freight team. OnePort 365 team is here to be that team and solve these complexities associated with the industry.”