Shoprite Holdings, South Africa’s largest grocery retailer, has announced its plans to sell its operations in Ghana as part of its strategy to withdraw from various African markets and refocus on its home base. In a trading statement for the 52-week period ending June 29, 2025, the company revealed that it had received a binding offer in June for the acquisition of its Ghanaian assets, which include seven trading stores and one warehouse.
Shoprite described the transaction as “highly probable,” indicating that the operations in Ghana have been classified as discontinued. The retailer stated, “The Group received a binding offer in June 2025 to dispose of the assets and liabilities related to the operations in Ghana, which consists of seven trading stores and one warehouse. The sale is deemed highly probable.”
The announcement signals the retail giant’s latest withdrawal from Africa’s wider market, following previous exits from Nigeria, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Madagascar. In the same update, Shoprite revealed that it had also signed an agreement on June 6 to dispose of five trading stores in Malawi, pending approval from the country’s Competition and Fair Trading Commission and the Reserve Bank of Malawi.
Shoprite’s retreat from these markets reflects a broader shift in its pan-African strategy. Once the continent’s leading food retailer with a footprint in around 15 countries, the company has steadily rolled back its regional operations due to persistent economic headwinds, including currency volatility, high import tariffs, inflationary pressures, and dollar-denominated rents.
While no buyer has yet been officially named, the binding offer indicates that a formal handover could be imminent, subject to regulatory approval.
Shoprite first entered Ghana in 2003, and its exit would mark the end of over two decades of operations in the country.
By: Jemima Okang Addae
