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Pick n Pay” to exit Nigeria after selling 51% its stake
South African retail giant Pick n Pay has announced its exit from the Nigerian market after selling a 51% stake in its Nigerian operations. The decision to withdraw comes as the company reassesses its African investment strategy amid various challenges faced in Nigeria, including logistical and economic hurdles that have affected its growth and profitability in the region.
Pick n Pay initially entered the Nigerian market with high hopes, seeing it as a strategic expansion opportunity in West Africa. However, the complex business environment, coupled with supply chain constraints, inflation, and changing consumer preferences, made it difficult for the brand to establish a strong foothold.
The retailer’s departure underscores the difficulty international brands often face in Nigeria’s dynamic retail sector, where factors like infrastructure limitations and fluctuating currency values complicate operations.
Despite its challenges, Pick n Pay expressed gratitude for the partnership and customer support it received in Nigeria, with hopes that its former stake will continue to operate under new ownership, potentially with a focus better aligned to the local market demands.
In conclusion, Pick n Pay’s exit from Nigeria, marked by the sale of its 51% stake, reflects the retailer’s strategic shift to consolidate its resources and optimize profitability elsewhere, shedding light on the complexities of operating in one of Africa’s most challenging but promising markets.
News
“You Can Still Have Subsidy Without Long Queues” — Rufai Oseni Speaks On Subsidy
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Speaks on Lagos’ Power Challenges and the Need for Change
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
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Sanwo-Olu Declares August 20 Public Holiday in Lagos for Isese Festival
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
