Logistics Outsourcing Practices in Africa: A Systematic Literature Review

This study is a systematic review of the literature on logistics outsourcing practices in Africa. It is motivated by the need to conceptualize the future capabilities of logistics service providers (LSPs) currently operating in the region using the existing data from the literature. Data was obtained from eighty-two (82) peer-reviewed journal articles published between the year 2000 to 2021 and the thematic approach used in the analysis. Themes were derived from specific research questions that focused on the services of LSPs; the impact of changing customers’ needs on the growth of LSPs; and technology adoption trends of LSPs. The findings revealed that most LSPs predominantly offer basic logistics services due to their limited capabilities. It further emerged that outsourcing decisions are driven by pressure from customers whose needs elicit responses from both outsourcing firms and LSPs. By building broader service portfolios, LSPs strive to offer extensive logistical support to their clients in response to the changing market demands. Technological innovation is considered as an essential part of this growth even though its application is curtailed by the inadequate hard infrastructure. Theoretically, the paper anchors on the joint application of evolutionary economics theory and resource-based view (RBV) to describe the future growth of African-based LSPs from lead logistics providers (LLP) to supply chain orchestrators. The ensuing actionable suggestions to exploit the full potential growth of LSPs form the basis of the paper’s managerial contributions. © The Author(s) 2023.