Nigeria’s Hyper City appoints CEO with strong Carrefour background

Demez is a highly experienced retail industry executive and has expertise in running Carrefour operations in Europe and African markets such as Tunisia, Algeria and Cameroon. 

The partnership between the two companies will see existing Hyper City outlets in Port Harcourt converted to the Carrefour brand and the planned establishment of approximately 20 Carrefour-branded outlets in Nigeria by 2028. The partnership will also offer national e-commerce delivery for electronics, fashion and home goods. 

“I am thrilled to announce that I hold the position of Chief Executive Officer at Hyper City, the Nigerian company that signed a franchise agreement with Carrefour Group last April,” Demez says in a LinkedIn post. 

“I am excited to embark on this new chapter and look forward to working alongside our talented teams, partners and stakeholders to build a customer-centric retail business, strengthen our foundations, and drive sustainable growth for the years ahead.” 

He notes on his LinkedIn profile that he is “passionate about food retail development and operations, whether in own management or through franchising”. 

Demez’ experience includes being International Franchise Advisor to Carrefour International, based in France, and spending more than seven years in Cameroon with the CFAO Group developing and operating Carrefour in three different formats – hypermarket, supermarket and cash & carry. 

Domestic operators dominate the sector 

According to Food Business Middle East & Africa, Nigeria’s growth in modern retail has largely been driven by domestic operators. Bokku Mart led by store count in 2025 with 124 outlets, followed by Addide, Market Square, Justrite, and FoodCo. 

“Other operators, including Jendol, Roban Stores and Prince Ebeano, continue expanding through neighbourhood-focused outlets, reflecting a shift toward locally adapted formats in a market where international entrants have faced repeated setbacks,” the publication reports.