Forbes Africa Highlights Choithrams’ Business and Community Investments in Sierra Leone

Forbes Africa has featured Choithrams’ business operations and community investments in Sierra Leone in the October/November 2026 edition of its Africa Undiscovered series.

The feature examined the company’s retail activities, local production, healthcare services, education initiatives and wider community development work. Harish Agnani, Choithrams’ Head of Operations, provided information about the group’s operations and investments.

From Freetown shop to international group

Choithrams was established in Freetown in 1944 by Thakurdas Choithram Pagarani. The original business, known as Shop Number One, remains operational, according to the feature.

The company now operates five supermarkets, a wholesale outlet, an electrical retail store and three warehouses in Sierra Leone. Agnani said the group expanded throughout Sierra Leone before entering other African markets and now operates in 27 countries.

Choithrams also runs two local production facilities that manufacture hard-boiled candies, bubble gum and laundry soap. Its wider supply network includes procurement operations in Dubai, a manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom producing Natco-branded food products, and an export office in India.

Healthcare support

Healthcare was a major part of the Forbes Africa profile. Choithram Memorial Hospital provides subsidized or free treatment to financially disadvantaged patients through a cost-recovery arrangement.

The Choithram International Foundation has also supported free surgical programmes and nationwide eye-care campaigns. Agnani said seven German doctors conducted 44 surgeries without charging patients. The feature further reported that more than 10,000 people were screened for cataracts and that 1,542 free cataract surgeries were carried out.

Approximately 2,000 additional surgeries were planned, although the available account does not specify when they were expected to take place.

During Sierra Leone’s civil conflict, the company made its hospital facilities available to United Nations personnel without charging rent while maintaining arrangements for civilian medical access, according to the background provided in the feature.

Education and local capacity

Choithram International School provides education based on international curriculum standards and places emphasis on recruiting and developing Sierra Leonean teachers. The school had 153 students at the time of the interview and planned to increase capacity to between 400 and 450 learners.

Agnani said the school secured Cambridge accreditation during its first year. He also stated, “We have not imported a single teacher. We believe in building local capacity.”

The company’s education activities also include the College of Digital Excellence, which provides information technology training and diploma programmes with support from Manipal University in India, NIIT and the British Council.

Investment approach

Agnani said Choithrams’ commercial expansion, healthcare interventions and education investments are financed through internal resources and foundation support rather than direct government contributions.

The company’s stated approach includes expanding into communities where modern retail facilities remain limited. Forbes Africa’s feature therefore presented Choithrams’ Sierra Leone presence as a combination of commercial activity and long-term investment in healthcare, education, manufacturing and community services.