Staff of Shoprite Nigeria on Tuesday staged a protest to call on its departing South African management to pay them off before handing the popular retailer to its new Nigerian management.
The company had said in August 2020 that it planned to divest from the Nigerian business.
The takeover of the Nigerian business of Africa’s largest retail store by new management is scheduled to occur on April 1, TheCable reported, quoting Olaitan Abiodun, who is the chairman of the Shoprite Employees Association, Ikeja branch.
“We are here because Shoprite is shying away from their responsibility. We are supposed to have biannual negotiations and because they have sold off the company 100 percent, it will be handed over to the new investors on April 1,” Abiodun was quoted to have said.
In the protests covered on video, workers can be seen holding placards and chanting solidarity songs, and in some instances saying “we’re demanding for our rights”.
Reports say the staff of the Ikeja City Mall branch of the store blocked the entrance and prevented patrons from accessing the store.
Further explaining why the protest was holding, another employee, Uche Madi said, “When the new company comes in, they will come with their own policy. What we are demanding is what we deserve. We heard that they have sold the company to Nigerian investors. What we need is a payoff so that by the time the new investors come in with their policies, the impact will be minimal.”
Similar protests are said to be ongoing at the Maryland, Lagos and Akure, Ondo State branches of Shoprite.
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