Supermarket chain Carrefour has closed its Comet House outlet along Monrovia Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), effective October 31, 2026, four years after opening the branch to serve shoppers and workers in the city centre. The closure follows a review of the retailer’s operations as competition in Kenya’s formal retail market intensifies.
In a statement, Majid Al Futtaim, which operates the Carrefour franchise in Kenya, said the decision was part of its regular assessment of business operations and customer needs. The company did not provide specific reasons for shutting down the outlet.
“Majid Al Futtaim regularly reviews its operations to ensure they continue to meet the needs of our customers and the business,” the retailer’s Kenya management team said.
The Comet House branch opened on November 9, 2022, marking Carrefour’s return to Nairobi CBD after concentrating much of its presence in suburban shopping malls. The store became the retailer’s 19th outlet in Kenya at the time and was designed to attract office workers and other shoppers seeking convenient access to groceries and household products.
At its launch, the outlet stocked more than 9,000 product lines, including fresh produce, groceries, cleaning supplies, personal-care products and household goods. The opening was accompanied by promotional discounts of up to 50 percent on selected products as Carrefour sought to build its customer base in the city centre.
Despite the closure, Majid Al Futtaim said Carrefour continues to operate 35 stores across Kenya and remains committed to its long-term operations in the country. The company also said it was supporting employees affected by the shutdown through the transition, although it did not disclose the number of workers involved or whether they would be transferred to other branches.
The closure comes amid growing competition among Kenya’s major supermarket chains. Data from market intelligence firm Sagaci Research showed that Naivas, Quickmart and Carrefour controlled a combined 60 percent of the formal retail market in 2025, with market shares of 31 percent, 15 percent and 14 percent respectively.
Carrefour has not indicated whether further store closures are planned, leaving its remaining outlets and expansion strategy in Kenya in focus.
