Dr Taiwo Afolabi has urged investors to prioritise efficient logistics systems over asset acquisition, saying sustainable investments must be driven by customer demand, productive asset utilisation and cash flow.
Afolabi, represented by Mr. Oliver Omajuwa, Deputy Director, Strategy and Operations, gave the advice at the Odu’a Investment Company Limited’s 2026 Annual Strategy Retreat, held at IITA, Moniya, Ibadan, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
He identified opportunities in warehousing, transportation, agricultural aggregation, cold-chain services, technology and specialised logistics. He said investors should examine gaps across the logistics value chain rather than view the sector as a single business.
Afolabi encouraged Odu’a Investment Company Limited to assess its portfolio companies’ transportation, storage, and distribution needs before pursuing new investments. He said those requirements could support a shared logistics platform, creating infrastructure that strengthens the company’s wider investment ecosystem.
The chairman said opportunities in port logistics extended beyond terminals to cargo handling, freight forwarding, clearing, equipment maintenance, storage and export consolidation. He added that integrated logistics services could help customers move goods safely, predictably and at competitive costs without managing multiple providers.
On agriculture, Afolabi said production alone did not guarantee value unless products were properly aggregated, preserved, stored and transported to markets. He identified cold rooms, temperature-controlled transportation and strategically located storage facilities as potential links between agricultural production, processing, retail and exports.
He said investors could establish new operations, acquire existing businesses or partner with experienced operators, depending on the opportunity and available expertise. Afolabi also noted that technology could improve cargo tracking, inventory visibility and operational efficiency, stressing that capital alone did not guarantee success in an execution-intensive industry.
Afolabi cautioned that buying trucks, constructing warehouses and procuring equipment did not necessarily translate into profitability. He urged investors to assess customer needs, asset utilisation, cash conversion and returns on committed capital. “Follow the cargo. Follow the customer. Follow the cash flow,” he said.
