Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi

This is as the Sarit Centre in the Westlands commercial district of Nairobi. A second Nairobi outlet at Galleria Mall, bordering the Lang’ata and Karen neighbourhoods, will open later in the year. 

In the longer term, Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco are said to be future target markets for Sports Direct stores. 

Sports Direct is a major British-based retailer that specialises in selling sports equipment, clothing, footwear and accessories. It also has stores in Europe and Malaysia, employing more than 20,000 people in total across all its operations.  

It was founded in 1982 by Mike Ashley as a single shop in the English town of Maidenhead. Ashley later became prominent as the owner of English Premier League club Newcastle United, before selling the club in 2021. 

Sports Direct is part of Ashley’s Frasers Group, which has entered a partnership with Hudson Group. Hudson has extensive expertise in African markets and has brought brands such as Mango, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and others to African countries like Algeria, Morocco and Nigeria. 

Kenyan champion athlete in attendance 

The Sarit Centre store opening was attended by Kenyan athlete and 2023 World 800m Champion Mary Moraa, who said the brand’s commitment to offering affordable, high-quality footwear removed a financial barrier for up-and-coming coming athletes who struggled to obtain suitable sports gear without corporate brand sponsorships. 

Fabio Iavarone, Group Retail Business Manager for Hudson Group and Sports Direct Africa lead, was also among those present at the opening. 

According to a report published by digital sports platform Pulse Sports Kenya, Iavarone highlighted Kenya’s dynamic consumer market and unmatched sporting heritage. 

Comments Pulse Sports Kenya in the report: “The arrival of Sports Direct in Kenya addresses a critical void in East Africa’s sporting landscape. With a fully stocked store offering everything from specialised running shoes to training accessories across multiple global brands, sports professionals now have direct access to the tools needed to compete on the international stage.”