KAMPALA, Uganda, Nov 9 – Nakumatt Holdings opened its second 24-hour outlet in Uganda on Tuesday, with a new branch in Bugolobi an up-market Kampala suburb and announced that it has pumped in USh2.7 billion for its expansion drive this year.
The opening of the new branch now boosts Nakumatt’s store tally to a strong 30-branch chain across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
Hot on the opening of the second store in Uganda, Nakumatt is expected to open its third outlet at Bukoto later in November after acquiring two new locations.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Nakumatt Holdings Managing Director Atul Shah said the supermarket’s expansion plans in Uganda were on course and apart from the two new outlets; new stores would be opened around Kampala in coming months.
“We have already identified the areas and we are working on the logistics of opening the new outlets,” Mr Shah explained.
He added that the two new stores in Uganda would employ 200 people directly and another 5,000 indirectly, mainly through suppliers and other business associates. Already Nakumatt Oasis, the chain’s Uganda flagship located at the Oasis Mall, employs over 200 people directly.
“Since Nakumatt came to Uganda in 2009, the supermarket has provided an important outlet for many Ugandan products not just in Uganda but in the wider East African region, especially farm products which is a huge boost to local farming and the economy as a whole,” he said.
He said that after opening the first 24-hour shopping experience in Uganda, Nakumatt had embarked on training its employees on customer care and other skills necessary for this type of operation. “We moved fast to train our people and now we are confident that we have enough skilled people in the retail sector to support our expansion plans.”
