A Nigerian company owned by a group of institutional investors led by Persianas Investment Limited, Ketron Investment Limited, has reached a deal on the acquisition of Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited (RSNL), owner and operator of the Shoprite stores in Nigeria.
According to a release by the organization, the change in ownership has also received the approval of the Nigerian regulator, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Speaking on the acquisition, Chairman, Ketron Investment Limited, Tayo Amusan said, “We are thrilled to complete the acquisition of Shoprite, ensuring the continued operations of one of the biggest retail success stories in Nigeria.
“We look forward to building an even stronger company following our acquisition and are excited about the greater impact we will achieve to the benefit of our customers and other stakeholders now and well into the future”.
Since its launch in Lagos in December 2005, Shoprite has expanded to 25 outlets across 11 states and Abuja, FCT.
According to the terms of this acquisition, Ketron acquires 100% ownership of Shoprite in Nigeria and will continue operations across all existing outlets. It also plans to open additional stores and introduce more Nigerian-made products in the stores. This he noted, will also result in more opportunities for Nigerians.
“It is our vision to create fundamental change for the better within Nigeria,” said Amusan.
“With benefits from our knowledge of the ever-evolving Nigerian retail marketplace, well-grounded social and economic research, and hands-on experience from our team, we are confident that this acquisition will foster a robust and sustainable business model for the ultimate benefit of all stakeholders” he concluded.
Shoprite Holdings is Africa’s largest food retailer, operating 2,843 supermarkets in 15 countries and serving 35 million customers in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
At the moment, Shoprite Nigeria’s supply chain includes more than 300 leading Nigerian suppliers, and boasts small businesses and farmers among its partners and suppliers.
Ketron has said that Shoprite International will continue as technical advisers and Ketron will sustain the relationships established by Shoprite over the last decade and a half while ensuring a smooth “transfer of values.”
