Nigeria and Guinea: Carrefour expands into West Africa
It is planned to open 20 stores
French retail chain Carrefour has announced it will enter Guinea and Nigeria through franchise agreements with local partners, as part of its expansion strategy in Africa.
The group said it had signed agreements with Imperial Corporation Guinea in Guinea and with Nigerian distributor Hyper City.
Converting existing partner stores to the Carrefour brand
The company's international development unit will handle Carrefour Partnerships International oversees the conversion of existing partner stores to the Carrefour brand.
The agreement includes seven stores in Guinea and four in Nigeria. Operations in Nigeria are expected to begin in September.
The agreements also stipulate the opening of 20 additional stores in both countries by 2028.
Patrick Lasfarge, CEO of Carrefour Partnerships International, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with two of the leading retailers in Guinea and Nigeria.”.
Lasfarge added: “This expansion represents a new step in our international franchise strategy within the framework of the Carrefour 2030 plan.“.
Carrefour expands into West Africa
As part of its 2030 plan, Carrefour aims to operate in 22 African countries by the end of the decade, up from about 10 currently, with a focus on markets with strong growth potential.
Guinea, where the modern retail sector is still underdeveloped, offers room for expansion. Nigeria, Africa's largest market with over 230 million inhabitants, is key to meeting growing urban demand.
In December 2025, Carrefour also announced plans to enter Ghana through a partnership with Brands For All.
Operations are scheduled to begin there this April, with plans to expand to 12 stores by 2028 from the current seven.
The new partners join CFAO Retail, which already operates Carrefour franchise stores in Ivory Coast and Senegal, the two largest economies in the West African Economic and Monetary Union region.
This expansion by Carrefour in Africa aims to capitalize on the promising African markets, where modern supermarkets are becoming increasingly popular instead of traditional markets.
This expansion in Africa is in line with the company's long-term strategy to strengthen its position in the retail sector on the African continent.
