Shoprite in Nigeria faces tough times as stores shut down in Ilorin, Ibadan

This is not the best of times for Shoprite in Nigeria.

Once the face of modern retail shopping in the country, the supermarket chain is now struggling to keep its doors open four years after its South African owners pulled out.

According to Daily Trust, checks show that Shoprite outlets in Ilorin and Ibadan have already been shut down, while several others across the country are running on empty shelves. In Lagos, the usually buzzing Ikeja City Mall outlet now looks like a shadow of itself — fewer customers, hollow aisles, and near-empty racks where groceries and frozen foods used to sit.

A staff member at the Ikeja branch explained that the new management is still renegotiating with suppliers, which has stalled restocking. “Hopefully when that is completed, things will return to normal,” she said. Others, however, admitted that the situation has dragged on for months, leaving workers anxious about their jobs.

In Abuja, the Jabi Lake Mall branch told the same story. Shelves that once overflowed with goods now look bare, with staff saying they haven’t received supplies in two months. “Everybody here, our chest is beating because we don’t know what’s happening,” one worker said.

Shoprite entered Nigeria in 2005 and quickly became a household name, expanding to multiple cities and employing thousands. But rising costs, rent battles, forex issues, and stiff competition have chipped away at its dominance. According to the publication, in Kano, where it shut down earlier, the rent alone at Ado Bayero Mall was reportedly ₦66 million monthly — before even adding electricity and staff costs.

Management insists Shoprite is not leaving Nigeria, promising shelves will be restocked by the end of September. But with two branches already gone and others looking deserted, many shoppers are beginning to doubt if the supermarket giant can bounce back to its former glory.