Prioritize transit corridors and road quality for your key lanes, carrier connectivity, warehouse grade (racking, clear height), labor availability and shift flexibility, temperature-control if required, and the 3PL’s IT integration for WMS and order management to ensure SLA alignment.

Model landed cost using inbound freight, handling, duty (if applicable), local drayage, storage, and last‑mile delivery to typical destinations. Compare per‑order fulfillment costs and lead times; inland warehousing in Gombe often lowers last‑mile spend for northern routes despite slightly higher inbound transit from coastal ports.

Include KPIs for order accuracy, on-time dispatch, inventory accuracy, pick-and-pack cycle times, and returns turnaround. Require WMS/ERP integration (API or EDI), real-time inventory visibility, and defined chargeback terms for SLA breaches to maintain omnichannel performance.

Expect flexible slotting, scalable racking, cross-dock and consolidation services, temperature-controlled zones if needed, kitting and light assembly, barcode-enabled inventory control, and reliable carrier networks for last‑mile distribution and regional forwarding.