Founded in 1948 as Blackwood Hodge, the company began as an equipment sales and service provider for earthmoving, mining, and roadworks machinery as part of the UK-based John Blackwood Hodge firm. In 1973, it made its mark on the Nigerian market by listing on the Lagos Stock Exchange. A pivotal shift occurred in 1991 when BHN became part of the Tolaram Group, heralding a new phase of strategic transformation.
By 2001, BHN re-engineered its operations, evolving from a group support entity into a focused haulage logistics specialist with a bold vision: “To be the market leader in Haulage Logistics in Nigeria,” ultimately aspiring to become a complete logistics solution provider.
This strategy paid off, not only did BHN carve out a niche as a premium haulage provider, but it also shifted its revenue base: approximately 55% now comes from external clients beyond the Tolaram ecosystem.
A defining asset is its considerable fleet strength: currently around 1,700 heavy-duty trucks sourced from five manufacturers and running on four fuel types (Diesel, CNG, LNG, and Electric). These serve broad operational coverage across four locations: Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Calabar, using over 20 types of trailers with tonnage capacities from 10 to 60 tons, catering to more than 20 clients.
A significant milestone in BHN’s sustainability journey occurred in November 2023, when the company unveiled Nigeria’s first electric heavy-duty trucks in Ogun State, alongside CNG and LNG variants. This move reflects BHN’s commitment to environmental leadership and innovation within the logistics sector.
Historically, BHN had similarly ambitious expansion targets. Earlier accounts noted a fleet of 525 trucks, including pioneering 45-ton models, and plans to scale to 750 by 2016, supported by in-house workshops and a strong inventory control system.
