Kejetia Market

Kumasi Central Market
Kejetia Market

Drone shot of the Kumasi Central Market from above
Location	Kumasi, Ghana
Coordinates	6.698635°N 1.619140°W / 6.698635; -1.619140
Address	Kejetia Road
Opened	1924 (1924)
Management	Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Ashanti Monarch
Stores	approx. 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, 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.

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. 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. 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 ever-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.

Redevelopment project

Kumasi Market

New modern market hall in 2025

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

Phase 1

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

Phase 2

The second phase was undertaken by the Nana Akufo-Addo government and 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. It is still yet to be completed.

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.

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

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).

See also

• Economy of Ashanti

References

Sources

Web articles

• Okoye, V. (2020). "Street Vendor Exclusion in "Modern" Market Planning: A Case Study from Kumasi, Ghana" (PDF). WIEGO. Retrieved 9 September 2024.

News articles

• Kenu, D. (20 August 2015). "$298 million Kejetia-Central Market to take off". Graphic Online. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
• Boadu, K. (24 October 2022). "Redevelopment of Kumasi Central Market progresses: Consultants call for proper management". Graphic Online. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
• Kenu, D. (2 May 2019). "Kumasi Central Market redevelopment construction works begins". Graphic Online. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
• Amoh, E. (28 June 2022). "Power restored to New Kejetia Market after 20% payment". 3News.com. Retrieved 30 September 2022.

Journal articles

• Mensah, F.; Shi, G.; Yu, Q.; et al. (2022). "The Impact of Resettlement in Urban Market Redevelopment on Income Inequality, Its Determinants, and Implications for the Resettled Population: Applying the Kejetia New Market Exemplar, Ghana". Sustainability. 14 (24). doi:10.3390/su142416682.

External links

• Media related to Kejetia Market (Kumasi) at Wikimedia Commons