Decathlon continues to invest in Africa with Kenya store

Sporting goods retailer Decathlon continues to expand across the African continent with the opening of store in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, slated to debut in the second half of 2018, according to the French company and the shopping centre in which Decathlon will open its doors.

Decathlon "has finished up location negotiations" for a retail space inside The Hub Karen shopping centre, and "will now plan to move into the 1,500-square-metre-store," said The Hub Karen and Decathlon, in a press release.

Decathlon's entry into the Kenyan market is part of the firm's "expansion" strategy across the African continent, added the two companies, recalling the two Decathlon stores which opened in Ghana and South Africa earlier this year. 

"Kenya represents a unique opportunity for Decathlon in light of its world-renowned athleticism, as well as its development in the retail sector," said Valéry Guers, head of the Decathlon Nairobi launch.

The shop will serve as the first Decathlon to open in east Africa. The mall in which it will set up shop is located in an upscale part in the Kenyan capital's west, and  boasts one of the two Carrefours already opened in the city.

Founded in 1976 in France, Decathlon operates close to 1,300 sales points across 35 countries. In Africa, it is also present in Morocco, the Ivory Coast, Tunisia, and Senegal.