25+ Transport-Related Business Ideas In Nigeria Or Africa

Gone are the days when major transport businesses were overseen and controlled solely by the government. The evolution of the transportation industry has unveiled many diverse business opportunities for people in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world. In essence, irrespective of an individual’s economic class or available capital, there is a transport-related business for them to start anywhere on the planet!

Although modes of transportation spread across air, water, and land, which also includes rail, the land transportation sector has witnessed the highest growth. If you want to know lucrative transportation business ideas to start, here are 25+ transport-related business ideas that anyone can start in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world.

1). Uber or Bolt Ridesharing Business:

Starting the list is the new Uber or Bolt ridesharing business. This is a system that links drivers with passengers. With the app, you can easily book a ride and the closest driver to you will come to pick you up. But you don’t necessarily have to start another ridesharing app business. Instead, you can join the platform, register your automobile, and start taking ride requests in Nigeria, Africa, or almost anywhere around the world.

2). Driving School Business:

Starting a driving school could be somewhat demanding in terms of human resources (professional trainers) and procuring small cars for training people. However, it is a lucrative business with a steady market because there will always be people willing to learn to drive.

What you have to do is to ensure that your driving school cars a parked outside and well advertised in a busy neighbourhood so that your business is the community’s first thought whenever the need to learn to drive arises. You can as well get enough social media presence and promote your driving lesson experiences online.

3). Car Dealership Business:

The auto dealership business involves importing and selling brand-new or fairly used cars to people. It also involves buying and reselling secondhand cars at good prices. The car dealership is a high-capital business but with insurance, good networking and a great marketing strategy, you can make the most of this business.

Besides these, you also need to set up your business site in a town or city to give it a good geographical advantage.

4). Car Rental Business:

The car rental business is a subsidiary business of the auto dealership business. Most auto dealers also rent cars to individuals who might be visiting a town and are in need of one. The same also applies to leasing out cars for special events like weddings, video shoots and others.

With a good insurance policy in place, you stand little risk in a car rental business. More so, if you situate your business in a good locale, you will to get steady patronage.

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5). Auto Mechanic:

One of the businesses that came with the introduction of automobiles is the auto mechanic business. Vehicles require regular checkups and repair services, and this is where the mechanic comes in.

However, starting an auto mechanic service requires the foundational skills of how to repair automobiles. Based on this, you can also employ the services of trained engineers for professional repair services. You can also start an apprenticeship system where you train young people who are interested in the job.

6). Interstate Transit:

The interstate transit business is an essential one not just because of its high prospects but because it meets the needs of travellers who have to move from one part of the country to another to conduct their businesses or other important transactions.

Starting a private travel agency takes the monopoly away from government transport companies and gives the public options. An interstate travel agency is quite capital-intensive but with the right things in place to make your clients comfortable, you’ll enjoy regular patronage in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world.

7). Spare Parts Sales:

Retailing spare parts is another transport-related business idea that came from the need to maintain ‘healthy’ cars. Over time, certain car parts develop irredeemable faults and have to be changed to get the vehicle back in shape.

With the quality of roads in most parts of Nigeria, drivers and car owners almost always have a need to replace faulty car parts, and this leaves great opportunities for you as a car sales dealer.

8). Private Jet Rental Business:

This is not a business for just any investor. It is highly capital-intensive and requires a lot of licenses and permits.

However, renting private jets is a great transport-related business idea. Big music artists, top-ranking government officials and elites make up most of the market for private jet rentals in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world.

9). Truck Transport Business:

Trucks are used to carry heavy equipment, sand, granites and other weighty materials. They are heavy-duty vehicles that can bear the weight of such materials over a long distance. Hence, they are used only for such cargo duties and not for passenger transportation.

You can start a truck transport business in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world to transport heavy goods from one location to another. You can start with just one truck and expand over time, depending on your capital.

10). Courier Service:

The duty of a courier service is to convey and deliver packages from one destination to another within the shortest possible time. Courier services are now a major component in today’s economy and they play a major role in the day-to-day operation of most SMEs.

To start a successful courier service, you need to invest in fast & portable vehicles and bikes in cities with high traffic congestion. With the right human and material resources in place, and a good advertisement for public awareness, a courier service business can grow in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world

11). Bicycle Rental And Repair Business:

Renting bicycles is another subtle way to make money in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world. Although bike rides are not as common as in Europe and the Western world, people rent bikes in Nigeria for fun rides, and exercises and recreational purposes.

In addition to rental services, you can also repair bikes for people at fair prices and sell bicycle parts. Although the bicycle rental and repair business does not sound so lucrative, it can be a profitable transport-related business idea.

12). Vehicle Towing Business:

Vehicle breakdowns are common incidences in most parts of Nigeria and Africa. Breakdowns are often caused by bad roads and poor management culture. When such incidences occur, drivers often require the services of tow vehicle operators to tow the cars to the nearest mechanics or their personal auto mechanics.

A tow vehicle business has a higher success rate in towns and major cities than the less developed areas. It is recommended to site your business at a good business spot and invest generously in advertisement to create sufficient awareness.

13). Long Bus Charter Business:

Long buses are particularly useful for long trips. Groups, clubs and associations travelling over a long distance to occasions such as family events, group get-togethers, tourist travels, and much more prefer to go by long buses. This makes the long bus charter business a profitable business in in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world.

However, the long bus charter business is capital-intensive and requires several permits for operations to commence. Besides these, get insurance for your business to mitigate unforeseen events.

14). Cargo Delivery Business:

The cargo delivery business is essential for moving large goods across a long distance. Businesses that deal in heavy goods such as furniture, cars, large appliances, computer sets, and so on, regularly require cargo delivery services.

The cargo delivery business has little to no competition and enjoys constant patronage from other businesses, both small-scale and large-scale. All you need to do is to register your business with the right agencies and get the necessary operational permits.

15). Ferry Transport Business:

Travelling by water is a common practice in most inland parts of West Africa. People travel interstate and within small communities on water bodies. Hence, starting a ferry transport business is a good way to generate a lot of income, barring the risks involved.

To start a ferry transport business. you need to invest in ferries and trained drivers. Get a business site close to a major water channel and employ the basic administrative staff needed. Get the necessary legal operational permits and create enough public awareness. In some months, you would have established a steady stream of clients.

16). Car Wash Business:

The car wash business sounds like a negligible business in Africa, but can be a highly lucrative one if you equip your car wash with the right resources needed by the market, especially as there is already an overflowing market for the car wash business.

You first need to purchase the required equipment to give clients quality services. You can then also add extra entertainment to keep them relaxed while their cars are being cleaned. An added pepper soup or barbecue and beer spot right in the car wash is enough to do the job.

17). Auto Rickshaw Transport Business:

The auto-rickshaw is known by several different names across Nigeria. It is called ‘maruwa’ or ‘keke napep’. Rickshaws are excellent for a shuttle business because they are smaller than cars and will most likely beat traffic where most cars will get stuck.

Auto-rickshaws are also typically cheaper than cars. They range from $800 to $3000 and could be much cheaper if you buy a fairly used one. Although auto rickshaws are not allowed in all cities in Africa, they are a highly effective means of transportation, and many people find them more convenient than motorcycles and cabs for short distances.

18). Boat Cruise Services:

Large ferry boats are not exclusive to interstate and inter-community transportation. They are also used for recreational activities, weddings, parties, music videos and other related activities. People also go on boat cruises just for fun.

You can start a boat cruise service and take people on such fun trips on water bodies. Once you get good ferries and get the right permits, you can begin operations. You also need to create enough awareness among members of the public. You can make ads on social media or other relevant platforms.

19). Boat Transportation Services:

Boat transport involves fewer requirements than ferry services. Boats are used to cover short distances, preferably between small communities in areas surrounded by water. Although most people have a fear of small boats because they are mostly paddled, the business still thrives in riverine areas. All you need to do is put the required safety precautionary measures in place.

20). Livestock Transport Business:

Transporting livestock is yet again a unique domain of the transportation business. Livestock such as cattle, hens, pigs, goats, and so on, are commonly moved from places of rearing to high-demand areas. Hence, livestock farmers are always in need of pickup vehicles and buses to move their livestock to the consumers.

To start the livestock transport business, it is important to network with large-scale livestock farmers and also get the right types of vehicles for the purpose.

21). Motorcycle Transport Business:

Motorcycles are alternatives to cars when there is a need to bypass traffic congestion. Motorcycles are considered faster because they hardly get caught up in traffic hold-ups and they get to streets and corners that cars can’t reach.

Starting a motorcycle business in Nigeria or other parts of Africa requires little effort. Get the motorbikes and employ the services of trained riders who will ride the bikes on a shuttle basis and bring back daily yields.

22). Car Shuttle Business:

If the interstate transport business is rather too demanding for you, you can as well start the shuttle business. This is the regular taxi business common on most streets across the world. It requires little capital. With just a cab, you can get started and expand your business over time.

The car shuttle business is an essential part of the transport system in every town because it contributes to the economy by moving people as they go about their daily business.

23). Medical Emergency Transport Business:

In certain cities in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, hospitals and health centres collaborate with medical emergency transport workers to bring sick or injured people to the hospitals. Rather than have hospital emergency trucks go down to the places of incidents, the emergency transport system dispatches the closest vehicle to the place.

This is a health-related transport business. They work with hospitals to distribute drugs and emergency medical kits to patients across town. If you’re interested in combining the transport business idea with health services, this might just be the right business for you in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world.

24). Limousine Rental Business:

Celebrities, movie producers, private individuals and music video directors, among others, sometimes have a need for limousines. However, because limos are high-maintenance vehicles, they prefer to rent them to meet their specific needs at that point in time.

You can equally start a limousine rental business but this is a high-capital business.

25). Sea Shipping Services:

Sea shipping is another high-capital business but with high profitability. Shipping by sea is the backbone of most import and export businesses. The same applies to dropshipping and other related businesses.

Heavy cargoes such as cars, trucks, machines, home appliances, gadgets and farm produce are best imported by sea. There are a lot of regulatory provisions guiding the sea shipping business. Investors who are willing to go the extra mile can benefit billions of naira in profits from importing and exporting via sea.

26). Fuelling Station Business:

The transport business cannot operate without the use of fossil fuel, except for the new electric car options, of course. But until electric cars are affordable for the larger global population, vehicles that operate on fossil fuel remain the most available option. Hence, there’ll always be a high demand for petroleum resources.

Delving into the oil and gas sector requires a large capital but it is a profitable transport-related business idea to start in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world.

To Sum It Up

The global transport industry continues to welcome new and exciting problem-solving business ideas, and the African region is not excluded from these innovations. Transportation is a core part of human survival and, by extension, a tool for developing the economy. As a result, the transport sector will never run out of patronage. If you want to build a successful business in the transportation industry in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world, you can start with any of the lucrative 25+ transport-related business ideas discussed in this article.

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What are your thoughts on these 25+ lucrative transport-related business ideas you can start in Nigeria, Africa, or anywhere around the world? Let me know by leaving a comment below.