Sri Lankan Company, Hemas Holdings, is to acquire a major stake in a Kenyan consumer products company.
Announced on 25 September, the Colombo Stock Exchange confirmed that Sri Lanka’s Hemas Holdings PLC had signed a Conditional Share Sale and Purchase Agreement to acquire a majority equity interest in a consumer products company based in Kenya.
“The Board of Directors of HHL resolved on 25th September 2025 to proceed with the agreement,” the Hemas company said in its official disclosure.
Hemas Holdings confirmed that the proposed transaction will expand its consumer footprint into East Africa.Holdings
Regulatory Approvals Pending for Hemas
The company clarified that completion of the deal hinges on several regulatory checks.
Approvals are required from the Competition Authority of Kenya and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, alongside other customary conditions precedent.
“Closure of the transaction is anticipated within the next six months,” the company noted, pledging to keep investors updated through the exchange.
Hemas did not name the Kenyan firm but confirmed that updates will follow once all approvals are in place.
About Hemas Holdings
Hemas Holdings PLC is one of Sri Lanka’s leading diversified business groups, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Colombo.
The group operates across consumer products, healthcare, mobility, and leisure, with a strong presence in South Asia and a growing footprint in other emerging markets.
Its consumer division produces and markets well-known home and personal care items, baby care products, and feminine hygiene brands that are household names in Sri Lanka and parts of Asia.
In healthcare, Hemas runs hospitals, diagnostic centres, and pharmaceutical distribution networks.
The mobility arm manages logistics and maritime services, while the leisure segment includes travel and hospitality operations.
Hemas is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange and is recognised for sustainable business practices, community engagement, and innovation.
Over the years, it has expanded strategically beyond Sri Lanka, aiming to become a significant regional player in the fast-moving consumer goods and healthcare solutions sectors.
List of Major Kenyan Companies Acquired by Other Firms in 2025
Since the beginning of 2025, several major Kenyan companies have undergone changes in ownership.
These transitions resulted from strategic mergers and acquisitions, as well as shareholders choosing to sell majority stakes to new investors.
National Bank of Kenya (NBK)
On April 14, 2025, the Central Bank of Kenya announced that Access Bank PLC (Access) had acquired 100 percent of the shareholding of National Bank of Kenya Limited (NBK) from KCB Group PLC.
Java House
Java House, one of Kenya’s leading coffee and casual dining chains, was acquired in January 2025 by two Africa-focused private equity firms: Alterra Capital (which took a majority stake) and Phatisa Group (which holds a minority stake with control rights).
Savannah Cement
A consortium of Kenyan flour milling tycoons acquired Savannah Cement for approximately KES 3.8 billion (about US$29 million).
Pollman’s Tours and Safari
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and American investor David Rubenstein made a strategic entry into Kenya’s tourism sector with the acquisition of Pollman’s Tours and Safaris, one of the country’s oldest and most established tour operators.
Sumac Microfinance Bank
The CAK granted unconditional approval on June 2, 2025, for Moniepoint Inc. to acquire a 78% shareholding in Kenya’s Sumac Microfinance Bank Limited.
Takaful Insurance of Africa
Takaful Insurance of Africa was acquired by Djibouti-based Tamini Insurance S.A. in a deal approved by the CAK in April 2025.
