Logistics, Supply Chain & Freight Advisory
End-to-end logistics advisory connecting African producers, exporters and infrastructure operators with the international freight, supply chain and logistics networks they need to compete globally.
Africa's Logistics Infrastructure: The Critical Enabler of Continental Commerce
Logistics costs account for an estimated 30–40% of the value of goods traded within and from Africa — compared to 8–15% in OECD economies. This structural disadvantage is one of the most significant constraints on African economic competitiveness, and one of the most significant determinants of whether African goods can reach international markets at commercially viable prices. Closing this logistics cost gap is therefore not merely an operational challenge — it is a central strategic priority for African economic development.
Lycia Limited's Logistics and Supply Chain Advisory practice provides expert guidance to organisations navigating the complexities of African logistics — from multinational corporations seeking to optimise their African supply chains to African exporters seeking access to international freight networks. We work with freight forwarders, logistics companies, port operators, customs brokers, cold chain specialists and last-mile delivery providers to design and implement logistics solutions that are commercially viable in Africa's demanding operating environment.
Our advisory is grounded in practical operational experience across 16 African markets. We understand the regulatory frameworks governing cross-border movement of goods, the informal realities of customs and port operations in different jurisdictions, the capabilities and limitations of local logistics providers, and the technological and infrastructure constraints that shape what is operationally achievable.
At a Glance
Understanding Africa's Logistics Landscape
Africa's logistics and supply chain environment is shaped by a distinctive combination of geographic, infrastructure and regulatory factors. The continent's 54 nations maintain their own customs regimes, import and export documentation requirements, transit procedures and road weight restrictions — creating a complex regulatory patchwork that adds cost and time to every cross-border movement of goods. Infrastructure quality varies enormously between corridors and jurisdictions: South Africa, Kenya, Egypt and Morocco maintain relatively sophisticated logistics infrastructure; many landlocked and smaller coastal nations face significant road quality, port efficiency and cold chain constraints.
Major trade corridors — including the Northern Corridor (Mombasa to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC), the Central Corridor (Dar es Salaam to Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, DRC and Rwanda), the Southern African Development Corridor and the West African coastal corridor — are progressively improving in efficiency and reliability, driven by investment from AfDB, World Bank and bilateral development partners. Corridor performance monitoring programmes are improving data availability and accountability. One Stop Border Posts are reducing border crossing delays at key nodes.
Yet significant challenges remain. Port dwell times at major African ports — the time between a vessel arriving and cargo being collected — average 20 days across sub-Saharan Africa, compared to 3–5 days in European ports. Road freight faces challenges including poor road conditions, police and checkpoint extortion, inadequate truck weight enforcement and limited refrigerated transport capacity. Air freight capacity is constrained by limited aircraft availability, high fuel costs and regulatory barriers to market entry by new carriers.
Lycia Limited navigates this landscape with practical expertise built on years of operational engagement. We know which freight forwarders perform reliably in which corridors, which customs brokers have the relationships to expedite clearance without resort to informal payments, which cold chain providers meet international food safety standards, and which regulatory frameworks are genuinely enforced versus those that exist on paper only.
Logistics & Supply Chain Advisory Services
Our logistics advisory covers every dimension of the supply chain — from freight mode selection and carrier relationships to customs compliance, cold chain design and supply chain risk management.
Supply Chain Design & Optimisation
End-to-end supply chain design and optimisation for organisations operating in or supplying African markets — covering transport mode selection, warehousing strategy, inventory management, network design and total landed cost analysis.
Freight Forwarder & Carrier Selection
Independent evaluation and recommendation of freight forwarders, ocean carriers, air cargo operators and road hauliers for specific African trade lanes — based on operational reliability, compliance standards, pricing and relationship quality.
Customs & Import/Export Advisory
Expert guidance on customs requirements, import documentation, HS code classification, duty rates, customs valuation, Rules of Origin compliance and customs bond requirements across 16 African jurisdictions.
Cold Chain Advisory
Specialist advisory on temperature-controlled supply chain design for food, pharmaceutical and other cold-chain-dependent products — covering cold storage infrastructure, temperature-controlled transport, monitoring systems and regulatory compliance.
Port & Terminal Operations
Advisory on port selection, terminal operations, stevedoring, container management and port authority engagement across African ports — drawing on operational experience of port procedures across major African gateway and secondary ports.
Trade Corridor Intelligence
Detailed intelligence on specific African trade corridors — covering infrastructure quality, transit times, regulatory requirements, cost benchmarks, operator quality and risk factors — essential for supply chain planning.
Logistics Compliance & Risk
Advisory on logistics compliance requirements including dangerous goods regulations, phytosanitary and veterinary requirements, sanctions compliance for specific trade flows, and AML considerations for high-value freight.
Last-Mile Delivery Solutions
Advisory on last-mile delivery solutions for consumer goods, pharmaceutical products and e-commerce fulfilment in African urban and peri-urban markets — including third-party logistics provider selection and distribution network design.
Logistics Client Profiles
Our logistics and supply chain practice serves organisations across the trade and investment spectrum, from multinational corporations to African exporters and development agencies.
Multinational Corporations
MNCs operating supply chains in or through Africa seeking to reduce logistics costs, improve supply chain reliability and ensure compliance with increasingly complex regulatory requirements.
African Exporters
African agricultural producers, food processors, mineral exporters and manufacturers seeking access to international freight networks, reliable logistics services and the compliance knowledge necessary to navigate export procedures.
International Retailers
International retailers importing African food, beverage and consumer goods products seeking logistics solutions that maintain product quality and comply with both African export and destination market import requirements.
Mining & Energy Companies
Mining and energy companies managing complex supply chains for heavy equipment, consumables and production inputs across challenging African logistics environments — requiring both inbound and outbound logistics advisory.
Pharmaceutical Distributors
Pharmaceutical companies and healthcare distributors requiring specialist cold chain logistics advisory across African markets where temperature-controlled infrastructure is limited and regulatory requirements vary significantly.
Logistics Service Providers
Freight forwarders, logistics companies and courier operators seeking to expand their African capabilities — requiring market intelligence, regulatory guidance and business development advisory for new corridor or country entries.
Where We Operate
Lycia Limited maintains active advisory relationships, market intelligence networks and on-the-ground expertise across the following markets.
The Lycia Logistics Advisory Advantage
Operational Market Knowledge
Our logistics knowledge is grounded in operational reality — not theoretical frameworks. We know which corridors perform reliably, which operators meet compliance standards and which regulatory requirements are genuinely enforced.
Compliance-First Approach
In markets where informal facilitation of customs and logistics is commonplace, our commitment to compliance-first logistics is a genuine differentiator — protecting clients from regulatory and reputational risk while demonstrating that compliant logistics is commercially viable.
Cross-Sector Integration
Logistics advisory cannot be separated from sector knowledge. Our understanding of specific commodity and sector requirements — from food safety cold chain standards to pharmaceutical serialisation requirements — enables us to design logistics solutions that meet all applicable requirements.
Trade Corridor Intelligence
Our continuous monitoring of major African trade corridors provides clients with current, reliable intelligence on transit times, costs, regulatory changes and operator performance — enabling supply chain planning based on data rather than assumption.
Carrier & Provider Network
Our relationships across the African logistics ecosystem — spanning ocean carriers, air freight operators, road hauliers, freight forwarders, customs brokers and cold chain providers — enables us to identify and recommend the most suitable providers for specific client requirements.
Total Cost Perspective
Logistics decisions cannot be made on the basis of freight rates alone. Our total landed cost methodology captures all logistics-related costs including duties, port charges, dwell time costs, insurance and financing costs — providing clients with the full commercial picture.
Logistics Advisory Engagement Examples
The following illustrative examples reflect the nature and scope of engagements Lycia Limited undertakes. Client confidentiality is maintained at all times.
East Africa Supply Chain Optimisation
Engaged by a FMCG multinational to review and optimise its East African supply chain — including port of entry selection, warehousing network, distribution structure and customs compliance — following a significant increase in import volumes and mounting customs delays.
Cold Chain Assessment for Pharmaceutical Distributor
Retained by an international pharmaceutical manufacturer to assess the cold chain capability of its distribution network in Southern Africa, identifying compliance gaps ahead of a major biologics product launch.
Agricultural Export Logistics Design
Commissioned by a cooperative of cocoa and cashew exporters to design a compliant, cost-effective export logistics programme connecting farm-gate supply to European buyers — replacing an expensive and unreliable informal logistics arrangement.
Lycia Limited provides logistics and supply chain advisory services. All recommendations are made with reference to applicable customs regulations, import and export controls, sanctions compliance requirements and sector-specific regulatory frameworks in relevant jurisdictions. Lycia Limited does not act as a customs agent, freight forwarder or logistics operator. Clients are responsible for ensuring that all logistics operations comply with applicable laws and regulations in each jurisdiction.
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