Ghanaian firm Modern Floors & Walls enters East Africa

• Modern Floors & Walls has expanded from Ghana into Kenya.

• The company will use Kenya as its gateway to the East African market.

• Its initial products include flooring, wall panels and carpet tiles.

• Its Dubai operation supports procurement, sourcing and supplier relations.

Ghanaian-British entrepreneur Basil David Anthony has expanded Modern Floors & Walls into Kenya, marking the building-finishing company’s entry into East Africa.

The move follows the establishment of a Dubai base in 2022 and forms part of Anthony’s plan to turn the Ghana-founded business into a multinational African brand.

Modern Floors & Walls began operations in Ghana in 2018, specialising in flooring, wall products and interior finishing. Ghana remains its main market, while Dubai supports its procurement, sourcing and international supplier relationships.

The company registered Basil Modern Floors and Walls LLC in the United Arab Emirates in December 2022. The operation serves as a holding, sourcing and regional supply centre for its African businesses.

Anthony said the company had always planned to expand beyond Ghana.

“We started by building the business in Ghana, but the vision was never to remain in one market,” he said. “Establishing our company in Dubai gave us an international platform from which we could strengthen procurement, sourcing and our relationships with manufacturers. Kenya is now the next important step in that journey.”

The company will initially offer stone plastic composite flooring, wall panels, carpet tiles and other interior-finishing products in Kenya. It will also provide installation and after-sales services.

Modern Floors & Walls plans to work with Kenyan contractors, installers, architects, interior designers and property developers as it builds its operations.

Anthony said the company would first study the Kenyan market and establish local partnerships before considering expansion into other East African countries.

“For me, expansion is not simply about putting the Modern Floors & Walls name in another country,” he said. “We want to build proper operations, create local opportunities and develop a business that can remain in the market for the long term.”

He said African countries presented different consumer needs, regulations and business conditions, requiring firms to tailor their approach to each market.

“Africa is a massive market, but you cannot build an African company by looking at Africa as one market,” Anthony said. “Every country is different. Our approach is to enter, learn, localise and build.”

The Kenyan operation will serve as the company’s entry point into East Africa. Anthony said the firm aims to use the experience gained in Kenya to guide its future regional expansion.