Advancing technology, new business models, and dramatic shifts in customer behaviour have reshaped the logistics industry in the first two decades of this millennium and there is a lot more to come
With cargo and freight volumes creeping up once more after the Covid-19 lockdowns, logistics operators are looking to strengthen systems and processes that can add value and improve efficiencies in the supply chain.
Digital solutions such as 5G, Big Data, IoT, blockchain and automation can build transparency, reduce cost, enhance customer experience, among other potential benefits. The effort is well worth it in what is becoming an increasingly interconnected world.
“The connection between a country’s digital capabilities and growth prospects is undeniable,” said Agility’s chief executive, Tarek Sultan, on the launch of the 2022 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index recently.
The Index notes that those African economies that have worked to improve their infrastructure, business conditions and overall competitiveness are generally performing far better against other emerging markets.
The same can be said perhaps for companies, large and small, who keep abreast of technology. It has already transformed how the big operators work across the continent.