Shoprite expands to Abuja, unveils 3,853 square metre store

By AGENCIES

AS part of its resolve to stamp its presence in every part of the country, Shoprite has concluded plans to open on Thursday this week an ultra-modern 3,853 square metre store located within the newly built Grand Towers Mall in Abuja.

It would be recalled that the retail outfit has established outlets in key cities across Nigeria with Lagos seeing three stores - Lekki, Surulere, Ikeja, and Enugu, since 2005.

According to the store’s promoters, the 3,853m2 store located in the newly built Grand Towers Mall overseeing the Abuja business district, can be compared in size with the store located in the Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, Lagos; and it is said to be the first of many planned for the capital city. The centre, which is approximately 10,00m2 of build-up area, plays host to other A-list companies such as KFC and Spur anchoring the Food Court.

Speaking at the commissioning, Jan Van Zyl, representing Shoprite Properties, said “Shoprite has had an excellent working relationship with developer; as a result, Shoprite is planning on doing many more similar developments with Novare throughout Nigeria and other West African countries.”

With the new store in place, it is expected that Shoprite would be contributing immensely to the socio-economic development of the FCT and the nation as a whole.

Adeola Kagho the HR manager for Shoprite Nigeria, said in a statement that “each store employs approximately 200 direct jobs and 50 indirect, when summed with the total number of stores in the country; one can say Shoprite has created an environment for over 1,200 sustaining jobs,” stating that Shoprite was not only creating employment, but had invested so much in training and personnel development.

With more than half of its product procured from local farmers and suppliers, the entry of Shoprite into Abuja will be a boost to farmers within the Northern zone, as shoppers are also assured of fresh and quality products, packaged to standard.

Shoprite first entered Nigeria in December 2005, when it opened a Shoprite store at the Palms Shopping Centre in Lekki, Lagos; they restructured their operations to accommodate the expansion strategy in Nigeria by appointing local Nigerian managers to manage its store operations.