Moving in Abuja During the Rains: Red Earth, Culverts and Soft Verges

The truck has reached the estate in the afternoon, the sky over the hills has turned grey, and the unpaved stretch to the house has started to shine. Anyone who has moved in Abuja during the rains knows this moment. The move is not cancelled, but it has just become a different job.

Rain is not a reason to postpone every move. It is a reason to plan differently.

Soft ground is the real problem

In many Abuja estates and newer developments, the tarred road stops before the house does. The last stretch can be loose earth, gravel or an unfinished verge. After heavy rain it often turns soft, and a loaded truck can sink or slide.

Before the move, ask the customer or a neighbour what the last fifty metres look like. If it is soft, you have options.

1. Park on firm ground and carry the load the extra distance. Agree with the driver who will do the carrying.
2. Use a pickup van, which is lighter, for the last stretch, if the load allows.
3. Move earlier in the day, when the ground has had more time to dry after overnight rain.

Tell the driver what you know. A driver who is warned will plan the approach, and one who is surprised may refuse the last stretch.

Check culverts and drainage channels

Open drains and culverts beside entrances can hide in wet weather. A wheel on a soft edge can drop in. Ask the gateman where the vehicle should enter and walk the route yourself if you can. Keep the spotter in view when reversing, as our guide on reversing into a tight compound explains.

Protect the load properly

Rain damages what water can reach. Three things matter most.

• Mattresses, upholstery and cushions go into plastic covers or heavy sheets before they leave the house. Wet foam is slow to dry and often smells.
• Cardboard boxes soften and split. Use crates or plastic bins for anything heavy or important, and put boxes on the truck floor away from the open sides.
• Electronics, such as TVs, computers and small appliances, stay in their boxes or wrapped in plastic, and ride in the middle of the load, away from the tailgate.

A good tarpaulin, tied down and overlapping, is not optional in the rainy season. See securing a load with straps, ropes and tarpaulins for the drivers' side of it.

Plan around the weather, not the calendar

Abuja weather varies, and I will not pretend there is a fixed hour when it rains. What you can do is watch the sky and have a plan.

1. Start early, so the heaviest work is done before the afternoon.
2. Keep a stack of plastic sheets and old towels at the door for wet shoes and wet hands.
3. If the rain becomes heavy, pause loading rather than pushing wet furniture onto the truck.
4. Wipe the wooden furniture before it goes on and again when it comes off.

At the new place

Lay down cardboard or a sheet in the entrance to stop mud going through the house. Ask the new landlord or the estate manager whether the access road is open and if you need a pass for the truck.

Unload the furniture first that is going into dry rooms, and put anything wet in a covered area to dry before it is placed.

For general Abuja moving advice see our Abuja estate move-in guide and moving between central Abuja and satellite towns.

How to do this on Sphere

On Sphere, request a truck or pickup van, enter the Abuja pickup and drop-off, and note in the description that the access may be soft or wet and that you need covers for upholstery. Propose a price. Nearby verified drivers accept or send counter-offers, and you choose. Agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept an offer. Read more at our Abuja page.