• Carrefour enters Guinea, Nigeria via franchise deals with local partners

• Initial rollout includes 11 stores; 20 more planned by 2028

• Expansion supports Carrefour 2030 plan targeting broader African presence

French retailer Carrefour said on Tuesday it would 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 Guinée in Guinea and with Nigerian distributor Hypercity.

Carrefour Partenariat International, its international development unit, will oversee the conversion of the partners’ existing stores to the Carrefour brand. The agreement includes seven stores in Guinea and four in Nigeria. Operations in Nigeria are expected to launch in September.

The deals also provide for the opening of 20 additional stores across the two countries by 2028.

“We are pleased to partner with two leading retail players in Guinea and Nigeria,” said Patrick Lasfargues, executive director of Carrefour Partenariat International. “This expansion marks a new step in our international franchise strategy under the Carrefour 2030 plan.”

Stronger push in West Africa

Under its Carrefour 2030 plan, the retailer aims to operate in 22 African countries by the end of the decade, up from around 10 currently, focusing on markets with strong growth potential.

Guinea, where modern retail remains underdeveloped, offers room for expansion. Nigeria, Africa’s largest market with more than 230 million people, is seen as key to tapping rising urban demand.

In December 2025, Carrefour also announced plans to enter Ghana through a partnership with Brands For All. Operations there are scheduled to begin in April 2026, with plans to expand to 12 stores by 2028 from seven currently.

The new partners join CFAO Retail, which already operates Carrefour franchise stores in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, the two largest economies in the WAEMU zone.

Stéphanas Assocle