Ibadan to Lagos Household Move: Timing the Trip and the Offload

The family has lived in Ibadan for years. The job is now in Lagos, the flat is found, and the furniture is still in the compound at Bodija. The question is how to get a three-bedroom's worth of belongings down the expressway without arriving at a Lagos gate after dark with nobody to receive the load.

We already have a guide for the reverse trip: Lagos to Ibadan, planning a same-day truck trip. Going the other way has its own problems, mainly because the hard part is the offload in Lagos.

Decide what is really coming

Lagos flats are often smaller and have tighter access than Ibadan compounds. Before you request a vehicle, go through the house and sort things into three piles: coming, selling or giving away, and storing with family in Ibadan.

Heavy wardrobes, old sofas and big freezers are the usual argument. Ask yourself whether the new place can take them through the door and up the stairs. If you are not sure, measure the new entrance and stairwell, or ask the landlord for photos.

Choose the vehicle

A single pickup van, listed on Sphere for loads up to 2,400kg, can carry a one-bedroom or a lean two-bedroom household if you pack tightly. A full family home usually needs a truck, listed up to 27,000kg. If you are on the edge, choose the bigger vehicle: a half-empty truck is better than a second trip on the expressway. Our guide on moving between cities with a pickup van covers when one van is enough.

Prepare the Ibadan end the day before

• Pack and label by room. Mark the box with the Lagos room as well as the contents.
• Take apart beds, tables and wardrobes, and keep the screws in a bag taped to the furniture.
• Empty and defrost the fridge and freezer the day before. Our guide on moving a fridge or freezer has the steps.
• Keep valuables, documents and phone chargers with you, not on the truck.
• Settle loading help with the driver before you accept an offer, and arrange helpers at the Ibadan end.

Timing the trip

An early start is usually the best advice for any intercity move. Leave Ibadan in the morning so the truck reaches Lagos with plenty of daylight left for the offload. Traffic on the road and into the city is often heavy, and it can change by day, so do not plan to the minute.

Agree with the driver when they will leave, when you expect arrival and when you will phone each other along the way. Do not rely on a fixed arrival time, because road conditions change.

Get the Lagos end ready before the truck leaves Ibadan

Many intercity moves go wrong at the destination. Before the truck leaves:

1. Confirm that your Lagos flat or house is available and the key is with someone who will be there.
2. Ask about the gate, estate or building rules. Some need a pass, and some only allow moves at set times. See our guide on getting past the estate gate.
3. Plan the carry from the road to the door. Photograph it and tell the driver.
4. Line up at least two helpers for the offload. Do not expect a tired driver to carry the whole house alone.
5. Check if the new building has a lift, and whether it is reserved for certain times.

If the Lagos building is a high-rise, read our guide on moving into a Lagos high-rise.

What if you arrive late?

Sometimes the truck is late, or the gate closes. Decide the plan in advance: unload tonight, or wait and unload first thing in the morning. A load left on the truck overnight needs a safe place to park, and the driver must agree to it. Do not assume it.

Keep the paperwork and the phone

Keep the driver's number, the vehicle details shown in the app and the agreed offer. If something changes on the road, call early. A short phone call early saves an argument at the gate.

How to do this on Sphere

1. Open the Sphere app and choose a truck or pickup van to match your load.
2. Add the Ibadan pickup and the Lagos drop-off.
3. Describe the load room by room, the access at both ends and the date you want to move.
4. Propose your price. Nearby verified drivers accept it or send a counter-offer.
5. Agree loading and offloading help, then choose the offer you prefer.

See also our Ibadan and Lagos pages, and house moving in Lagos.