Quickmart, a leading supermarket chain in Kenya, has announced plans to list 2 billion shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The proposed listing will involve the sale of 50 per cent of its shares by Sokoni Retail Kenya Limited (SKRL), the company that currently owns all of Quickmart's shares. The planned sale is subject to approval by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the NSE. Quickmart expects the offer to launch around September 30, 2026.
The transaction will allow members of the public and other eligible investors to buy a stake in Quickmart from its existing owner. Quickmart itself will not receive money from the sale because no new shares are being created. The company will continue to finance its expansion mainly using money generated from its business operations. Quickmart operates 72 stores across 16 counties and records about five million customer transactions every month.
Quickmart has approximately 2.5 million members of its Q-Points loyalty programme. The company reported revenue of Ksh.50.4 billion in 2025 and an adjusted profit after tax of Ksh.1.7 billion. Its revenue grew at an average annual rate of 18.4 per cent between 2021 and 2025. In the first six months of 2026, the retailer recorded revenue of Ksh.27.3 billion.
Quickmart's store network grew from 64 outlets at the end of 2025 to 68 by June 2026, with four more stores subsequently opened. The company is targeting between 10 and 15 new stores every year between 2026 and 2030 as it expands its presence in urban, peri-urban, regional and coastal markets. This expansion plan is expected to drive the company's growth in the coming years.
Following the listing, Quickmart's board intends to target paying shareholders at least 80 per cent of its annual profit after tax in dividends, paid twice a year. However, the company says this is only a target and will depend on its financial performance, capital needs, growth plans and applicable regulations. This move is expected to provide investors with a regular income stream.
For the existing owners, the proposed listing provides an opportunity to sell part of their investment while still retaining a significant stake in the business. If the additional over-allotment option is not exercised, Sokoni Retail Kenya Limited is expected to retain about 50 per cent of Quickmart after the sale. If the option is fully exercised, its stake would fall to about 42.5 per cent.
The proposed listing is intended to broaden Quickmart's ownership and allow investors to participate in its future growth. According to Martha Osier, Partner at Adenia Partners, "The proposed listing ...will broaden ownership of the Company, introduce a public free float and enable Kenyan and other eligible investors to participate in Quickmart’s future growth." Quickmart was founded in Nakuru in 2006 and later merged with Tumaini Stores in 2020 under the Quickmart brand.
Key points
- Quickmart plans to list 2 billion shares on the NSE, opening the supermarket chain to eligible investors.
- The proposed listing will allow members of the public to buy a stake in Quickmart from its existing owner.
- Quickmart's board intends to target paying shareholders at least 80 per cent of its annual profit after tax in dividends.
