Truworths International Ltd. closed its two remaining Nigerian stores last month as stringent regulation of stock imports and rising costs made it too difficult for the South African retailer to operate in Africa’s biggest economy.

The clothing company struggled to get stock into Nigeria and cash out of the country, Chief Executive Officer Michael Mark said in a phone interview on Friday. Truworths’ dollar rental bill also soared as the rand weakened against the U.S. currency, he said.

“The regulations were making it extraordinarily difficult to get stock into the stores,” Mark said. “We can’t get money out, so there was no point any longer.”

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Truworths is expanding in countries outside South Africa as economic growth and consumer spending remain under pressure in its domestic market. The Cape Town-based company bought a majority stake in U.K. shoe chain Office Retail Group Ltd. last year, and also has stores in sub-Saharan African countries including Kenya and Botswana.

“The stores in countries bordering South Africa are doing well and in Ghana it’s O.K.,” Mark said. “It’s just Nigeria that’s not and we would go back there if everything changes. This is not a permanent thing, we will see what happens.”