Saturday, February 7, 2026

How a Lebanese Immigrant started a leading premium quality paint manufacturing company in Ghana

Joseph Azar, a Lebanese immigrant came to Ghana in 1919. He worked briefly as a trader before he established himself with his first store in Accra, Joseph Azar and Sons.

Gradually he fine-tuned his product line to specialize paints and hardware related products and changed the name to City Paints Supply ltd. In the 1940’s they expanded to Tudu with a new larger innovative store and by the 1960’s this was the largest hardware store in Ghana. Azar Group of Companies was established in 1968.
In 1968 the Azar family diversified and expanded into paint manufacturing. Azar Chemical Industries Ltd. was joined with City Paints Supply Ltd to found Azar Group.

Azar Group opened its new corporate offices and factory, in 2016. The new location at 88 Spintex Road in Accra includes extensive manufacturing facilities, as well as, another City Paints Supply store. Azar Group currently employs over 500 employees and is one of the largest diversified industrial manufacturers in Ghana. Azar Chemical Industries Ltd is the manufacturers of Azar Paint and SHIELD Acrylic Paint.

Azar and Shield paints are leading acrylic paint brands in Ghana; Shield is currently the leading premium quality paint manufacturing company and has about nine different products on the Ghanaian market.

Ghazi Azar serves as the Chairman and Managing Director and part shareholder of the company.

Ghazi Azar co-owns City Paint Supply together with the late Rustom Azar and are the official agents of Hempel Paints in Ghana.

Both Ghazi and the late Rustom Azar own shares in Wire Weaving Industries together with two engineers. Wire Weaving Industries is a producer of drawn wire products and separately employs 100 people.

Azar Group is the West African leader in paint, coatings, chemicals, and hardware with 100 years and four generations of experience. They have a legacy of always providing the highest quality, exceptional service and competitively priced products to meet the needs of customers. Their goal is to offer a diverse range of products for use by consumers in the industrial and construction markets.

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