The Digest:
Shoprite is facing a severe decline four years after its acquisition by local investors. According to a Premium Times investigation, outlets across Abuja, Lagos, and other states now grapple with empty shelves, shuttered stores, and frustrated suppliers amid unpaid debts, signaling a deep crisis for the once-dominant grocery chain.
Key Points:
- Shoprite Nigeria is struggling severely under its Nigerian owners, Persianas Investment.
- Outlets in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, and Ibadan have empty shelves and low customer traffic.
- Several stores have been permanently closed, including in Kano and a key Abuja mall.
- Suppliers report being owed hundreds of millions of naira for months, disrupting supply.
- The company attributes the challenges to a "reset" of its business model.
- Management denies plans to exit, promising a focus on local sourcing and smaller stores.
- The struggle mirrors wider economic pressures, including inflation and naira devaluation.
Sources: Premium Times
