Nairobi-based Nakumatt Supermarkets will in the next four months open five new stores in neighbouring countries in an expansion drive that will see the retailer spend an estimated $4 million (Ksh408 million).

The retail chain is putting final touches to two shops in Tanzania, two in Rwanda and one in Uganda in what is expected to bring its branch count outside Kenya to 20: six in Tanzania, four in Rwanda and 10 in Uganda.

Nakumatt has in recent years stepped up its expansion both at home and in the three neighbouring East African Community (EAC) countries by buying out rivals or setting up new operations.

Opening of the five stores will lift the supermarket chain’s regional store count to 63.

“The first store will be opened this month and we shall progressively launch the rest until they are all operational by the end of May,” said Nakumatt head of strategy and operations Thiagarajan Ramamurthy in an interview.

“The capital investment that we are putting into all five branches will not go beyond $4 million,” he added.

Nakumatt’s new Uganda store will be located in Ntinda, a suburb that is about seven kilometres from Kampala, while the two in Rwanda will be located in and around Kigali.

In Tanzania the retailer will open one shop within the Dar es Salaam central business district while the other will be in Oyster Bay, an affluent beachfront neighbourhood on the outskirts of the capital city.

Two years ago South African retail chain Shoprite sold its three outlets in Tanzania to Nakumatt in a multi-billion shilling transaction.

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