Kejetia Market

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Kumasi Central Market
Kejetia Market
Kumasi.jpg
Drone shot of the Kumasi Central Market from above
Kejetia Market
Location Kumasi, Ghana
Coordinates 6°41′55″N1°37′09″W / 6.698635°N 1.619140°W / 6.698635; -1.619140
AddressKejetia Road
Opening date1924;101 years ago (1924)
Management Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly
Ashanti Monarch
No. of stores and servicesapprox. 8,000+

The Kumasi Central Market, also known as Kejetia Market, is an open-air marketplace in Kumasi, a city in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The market has over 8,000 stores and stalls, [1] making it the largest single market in West Africa. About 50,000 people visit the market daily, while there are 20,000 vendors operating in it. [2]

Contents

Formation

The market, along with the makola market in Accra, was established in 1924, modeled after British markets in order to house large numbers of vendors. [3] This led to an increase of market and street trading in the city. During this time, a lorry park was constructed to help with the large number of people who go to the market. [2] Due to the lack of investment in the market, infrastructure and hygiene conditions were poor. Because of this, the colonial government tried to promote large-scaled industrialization to stop the even-increasing number of vendors. Although, after Ghana's independence, there was still a large percentage of the workforce working in small-scale activities including trading. [4]

Redevelopment project

Kumasi Market Kumasi Market.jpg
Kumasi Market

In August 2015, the Government of Ghana announced a redevelopment plan for the entire market. [5] The project is currently on its second phase. [6]

Phase 1

The first phase of the project begun in 2015 and was valued at a cost of US$259,425,000 by the John Dramani Mahama government. [6] The phase included a brand new market equipped with about 8,420 stores. It was completed in late 2018. [7]

Phase 2

The second phase was undertaken by the Nana Akufo-Addo government and Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene on 2 May 2019 for work to commence. It is estimated to cost around US$248 million and is being financed by Deutsche Bank. [7] It is still yet to be completed. [6]

Incidents

Fires

Fire outbreaks have historically been an issue of the Kejetia market. In January and March 2016, fires destroyed more than 200 shops and vendors' property. [8]

In January 2025 there was another fire outbreak at the Kejetia market in Kumasi. [9]


Power

On 28 June 2022, the market was taken off the national grid over huge debts that had accrued for 14 months. The market has had power restored following a 20 percent payment of the GH¢5.2 million debt owed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). [10]

See also

References

Citations

  1. Mensah et al. 2022, p. 4.
  2. 1 2 Okoye 2020, p. 9.
  3. admin (4 March 2023). "Africa's Largest Open-Air Single Market". Ghanaian Times. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  4. Okoye 2020, p. 4.
  5. Kenu 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Boadu 2022.
  7. 1 2 Kenu 2019.
  8. Okoye 2020, p. 10.
  9. "Swift GNFS response saves 23 shops in Kejetia Market fire". Graphic Online. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  10. Amoh 2022.

Sources

Web articles

News articles

Journal articles

6°41′55″N1°37′09″W / 6.698635°N 1.619140°W / 6.698635; -1.619140