How Pricing Works on Sphere: Propose, Accept or Counter

Two neighbours on the same Surulere street can request a driver the same kind of truck on the same Saturday and agree very different prices. One is clearing a ground-floor self-contain, ten steps from the door to the road. The other is bringing a three-bedroom flat down from the fourth floor with no lift, and the gateman will not open until he sees the estate pass. Same vehicle. Completely different job.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for individuals and teams planning a smooth bulk move across Lagos, Abuja, and Ibadan.

So there is no honest single answer to what truck hire costs in Lagos, and Sphere does not show a fixed fare. You set the opening price, and drivers tell you what they think of it.

How the model works

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Book a truck or van on Sphere

Choose your vehicle, propose your price, and verified drivers in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan accept or send a counter-offer.

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1. You propose a price. You pick a vehicle (truck, pickup van or compact car), add the pickup and drop-off, describe the load and enter what you are willing to pay.
2. Drivers respond. Nearby verified drivers see the request. Each one either accepts your price as it is or sends a counter-offer with the figure they think the job needs.
3. You choose. You compare what comes in and pick one. Nothing is agreed until you do.

What a driver is actually pricing

Before you type a number, look at the job the way a driver will.

Distance comes first, but the route matters more than the kilometres. A short hop across a bridge at a busy hour can take longer than a longer run on clear roads.

Then the vehicle. A pickup van (listed up to 2,400kg on the app) and a truck (listed up to 27,000kg) cost very different amounts to run, so request a driver what your load needs. Ourtruck size guidehelps if you are not sure.

After that, the load and the buildings at both ends. These are the things that push the work up:

• a fridge, a big wardrobe, a generator or anything awkward to carry
• stairs with no lift (a third-floor walk-up is real work, so say it)
• narrow streets, an estate gate that needs a pass, or a long walk from where the truck parks to your door
• rush hour, weekends, public holidays and heavy rain
• a drop-off where the driver is unlikely to find another job, so he drives back empty

Carrying is its own item. If you need the driver to help, agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept an offer. It changes the job, so it should change the price.

Setting your opening price

Write the full load list before you think about money. The job usually grows once the deep freezer, the reading table and those twenty cartons are on paper. Then ask around. Someone in your estate WhatsApp group has probably moved recently and can tell you roughly what they paid.

Two mistakes come up again and again. Lowballing rarely gets you a cheaper move. It gets you fewer replies, more counters and a lot of back and forth. Panic is the other one: nervous customers put in a big number to be safe and pay more than they had to.

Start at a fair level and let the replies correct you. If several drivers accept straight away, your price was probably generous. If nearly everyone counters, it was probably low.

Reading counter-offers

A counter-offer is information, so do not take it personally. Look for a pattern first. If most counters land close together, that is a fair picture of what the job is worth. If they all sit well above your price, reread your request. Drivers may be guessing about something you left vague, like the floor or the fridge.

Then look past the figure. Check the driver's vehicle details and how clearly he communicates. The cheapest offer is not automatically the best one.

And do not let anyone rush you. You can decline offers, edit the request, change your price and try again.

Warning signs

Be careful with a driver who:

• agrees a price, then tries to raise it at pickup when nothing about the job has changed
• pushes you to cancel in the app and settle things privately
• gives vague answers about the vehicle, or turns up in one that does not match what was listed

An offer far below everyone else's, with no explanation, deserves a question too.

It cuts both ways. If you leave out the fourth floor or the extra wardrobe, expect the driver to raise it when he arrives, and he will have a point.

Why detail gets you better offers

Drivers decide quickly. "House items, Surulere to Lekki" leaves them guessing, and a guess is usually priced high to cover the unknown. Now compare "two-bedroom flat, second floor, no lift, one fridge, one washing machine, about 20 cartons, estate gate pass arranged". A driver can price that properly, and there is far less to argue about on the day.

How to do this on Sphere

1. Open the Sphere app and pick your vehicle. For Lagos moves, ourtruck hireandvan hirepages help if you are torn between the two.
2. Add the pickup and drop-off with landmarks and gate details.
3. Describe the load fully: items, floors, access and any help you need.
4. Propose your price.
5. Go through the acceptances and counter-offers and choose the driver you are comfortable with.

Sphere works in Lagos,AbujaandIbadan, and it is free to join. For a full house move, ourLagos house moving pagehas more planning help.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to hire a truck in Lagos on Sphere?

There is no fixed fare. You propose a price for your own job and drivers either accept it or send a counter-offer. Distance, vehicle size, the load, floors, access and timing all shape what a fair price looks like.

What happens if no driver accepts my price?

Usually your price is low for the job, or the request is missing something drivers need to know. Read it again, add what you left out and think about adjusting the price.

Can I reject a counter-offer?

Yes. Nothing is agreed until you choose an offer, so you can decline counters, wait for others or change your request.

Is loading and offloading included in the price?

Not automatically. If you need help carrying, agree it with the driver before you accept the offer so the price covers the work.

Does Sphere charge customers to use the app?

No. Joining is free for customers. You pay for the job you agree with the driver.

Move checklist

• Create a complete item list before requesting a driver
• Match your load to compact car, van, or medium truck
• Add pickup and drop-off access instructions clearly
• Track arrival, loading, and handover in one move flow