Retail Supermarket Nigeria Limited (RSN), owners of Shoprite Nigeria, on Friday 21 October, reopened its store at Circle Mall in Jakande, Lekki 24 months after the2020 #EndSARS looting incidents that led to the closure of the store.
“Two years ago, we made a tough decision to shut down operations at the Shoprite Circle Mall in response to the insecurity situation. The closure was in the interest of our customers as well as our staff as we had to prioritise the safety of lives and properties ahead of other interests. Today we’re happy to commence operations again as we have put measures in place to ensure the safety of all who will walk through our doors,” Hubertus Rick, the chief executive officer, RSN said.
According to Rick, Shoprite Nigeria has made significant contributions to the nation’s economy by directly and indirectly providing jobs for about 10,000 individuals. He stated further that while expanding the retail industry in Nigeria, Shoprite invested heavily on its local supply chain involving more than 300 leading Nigerian suppliers, and partnership with many small businesses, farmers, suppliers of an assortment of local brands.
He said that the reopening was hinged on RSN’s quest to make formal retail shopping accessible to more Nigerians while rebuilding the economy. The Circle Mall store is one of 24 nationwide outlets managed by the RSN that are currently bridging the gap between local businesses and consumers.
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“We are aware of the impact that the closure has had on our supply chain as well as the business at large. As we reopen this store and other outlets in subsequent months, we are prioritising ensuring a safe shopping environment for our customers while expanding our retail network,” Rick said, disclosing that Shoprite Nigeria will open new outlets across three states before year end in reiterating the company’s commitment to expanding the retail industry in Nigeria.
Olurotimi Bajomo, centre manager, Circle Mall, said that the company has introduced some security measures to safeguard the property, businesses and every customer that visits the mall. According to him, the mall now has a police post to prevent a recurrence of the 2020 incident on its premises.
“The management of the mall has introduced physical reenactments such as roller shutter doors, and engaged the services of the Nigeria Police as well as other security outfits to guarantee the safety of investments, people and property,” he said.
He also disclosed that the management is engaging with the community to better protect against a reoccurrence of the looting experienced in 2020. “The company is ready to provide bigger and better services to all its customers,” Bajomo said.
