PANO: the signage franchise betting big on Africa
A success story expanding across the continent
Founded in France in 1980, PANO has become in just a few decades a key player in signage and visual communication. From shop signs to vehicle wrapping, window graphics, and POS displays, the network now counts over 150 agencies across several continents. In recent years, Africa has been at the heart of its expansion strategy.
PANO already established in multiple African capitals
From North Africa to West Africa and the Horn of Africa, PANO has opened agencies in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Djibouti, Madagascar, Somalia, Guinea, and Mauritius.
In 2016, its first African agency opened in Djibouti, followed in 2021 by Mogadishu (Somalia). A new opening is underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — clear proof that the brand is aiming high.
A turnkey franchise model
PANO offers its franchisees different packages tailored to their resources and ambitions: Starter, Standard, Premium, and Optimum.
What each package includes
- A fully equipped showroom
- Production equipment
- Launch marketing kit
- Territorial exclusivity
- Comprehensive training in signage techniques
Objective
The goal is to help entrepreneurs quickly launch their business while benefiting from the support of an international network and proven operational processes.
The ideal franchisee profile
PANO seeks motivated, versatile entrepreneurs capable of growing their agency in booming markets. The ideal franchisee:
- Has strong business and customer relationship skills
- Can manage a small team
- Has an interest in visual communication and design
- Is ready to invest personally, especially at launch
- Understands the local market and can adapt to African realities
A background in advertising, marketing, or printing is a plus — but not essential, as PANO’s training program fills any technical gaps.
An African market full of opportunities
- Rapid urbanization ? new shops and businesses emerging daily in major cities.
- Rise of shopping malls and international franchises ? growing demand for modern, professional signage.
- Institutional contracts ? governments, NGOs and public bodies seeking reliable service providers.
- Mostly informal competition ? PANO brings a standard of quality rarely seen locally.
- Economic and digital growth ? e-commerce, start-ups and SMEs need visibility to thrive.
A promising future with the right partners
By leveraging its international expertise and turnkey franchise model, PANO positions itself as a strategic partner for African entrepreneurs. With soaring demand and relatively unstructured competition, today’s franchisees could well be tomorrow’s big winners — in fact, the top-performing franchisee across PANO’s 150-agency network is based in Africa.
With its proven model and full support package, PANO is not just putting its name on African shop windows — it’s leaving a real mark.