The modern hall
Levels under a bright ceiling.
Afus199620 — CC0 · Afus199620 — CC0 · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Adam Jones — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0
Kejetia Market, also known as Kumasi Central Market, is a vast market in the heart of Kumasi, described as the largest single market in West Africa. It has over 8,000 stores and stalls, about 50,000 visitors a day and some 20,000 vendors. It is the best place to see daily life in the Asante capital. The market was set up in 1924, along with Makola Market in Accra, on the model of British markets, to hold large numbers of traders. A lorry park built beside it added to the city's trade. Its facilities then declined over long years of little investment, until large modern sections went up, and the market now combines old tin roofs with a new hall. The modern hall has levels of stalls under a colourful ceiling, while the old lanes lie beneath a sea of rusty tin roofs. On sale are bright printed cloth, beads, shoes, household goods, vegetables, fruit and dried fish. The further you walk, the more easily you lose your bearings, and that is part of the experience, as the crowded lanes all look alike. Manhyia Palace Museum is about 1 km away in a straight line. Keep your bag and money safe in the crowds, and take a guide if you want a particular section. Ask before photographing sellers, as many prefer it. Morning is best, before the worst of the heat. Sunday is quieter, and many stalls may be shut.
Levels under a bright ceiling.
Bright patterns.
A sea of tin roofs.
Central Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana
It is very crowded, so keep your bag and money close, and take a guide on a first visit.
Printed cloth and beads are what most visitors come for, and haggling is normal.
