Osman Adam Ltd

Osam Adam Ltd

Blantyre

Osman Adam arrived in Africa in 1885, and established a general merchant’s store known as Osman Adam in 1894. He was the first Indian businessman in Nyasaland. With stores throughout Portuguese East Africa, British Central Africa and Northern Rhodesia he became the largest Muslim merchant businessman in the region.

He was the founding member of the Nyasaland Indian Traders Association and rose to leader of the Nyasaland Indian Association. He and C K Dharap financed the first Indian primary school in Blantyre. He died in 1914.The business continues to survive today.