Jaffer died at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, on the evening of August 28, 2026.

An employee of Sulfo Rwanda who has worked for the company for 18 years told IGIHE that Jaffer had been ill for some time. He initially received treatment at King Faisal Hospital in Rwanda before being transferred to Nairobi.

“He had been ill for some time. He initially received treatment at King Faisal Hospital in Rwanda before being transferred to Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. He later improved and was discharged from hospital, after which he continued receiving treatment at home under medical supervision,” the employee said.

The employee added that Jaffer returned to Rwanda last year after his condition improved and visited the Sulfo Rwanda factory.

“He came and appeared to be bidding farewell to the factory. He toured it thoroughly before eventually handing it over to his son and grandson,” he said.

Jaffer began investing in Rwanda in 1962. He is recognised as one of the pioneers of the country’s soap manufacturing industry, after noticing that many Rwandans at the time relied mainly on water for bathing and washing clothes, while others used traditional methods involving plants and herbs.

He started with a soap brand called Tembo, produced at a factory equipped with a small machine roughly the size of a barrel.

The business later expanded, with Sulfo Rwanda adding other products, including cosmetics and bottled drinking water under the Source du Nil brand.

Sulfo Rwanda currently employs 630 people and exports its products to markets in Rwanda and neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Jaffer also played a role in introducing golf to Rwanda. His other investments included the importation of vehicle tyres, batteries and cooking gas.

He maintained homes in Rwanda, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nairobi, where he was living before his death.

A memorial service to celebrate his life is scheduled to take place in Nairobi on August 30, 2026.