The modernization project at Gikomba Market in Nairobi, Kenya, has new developments: Phase One has entered the final stage of construction and is scheduled to be handed over by October 15, with the first batch of about 5,000 traders who were relocated due to the renovation set to move back into the new market to resume business.

According to the on-site situation on September 27, the focus of work at the Phase One site has shifted from main structural construction to plastering, painting, shop partitioning, and outdoor works, with the overall project entering the pre-handover preparation stage. When disclosed in August this year, the main structures of three multi-story commercial buildings in Phase One had been completed, and at that time roof and internal installation work was mainly underway; over the following month, the on-site focus continued to shift toward interior finishing and pre-opening supporting facilities. Market management had previously explained that each construction phase of the project is expected to take about 4 to 5 months, and that second-hand clothing, vegetable and grain traders, among others, will subsequently be resettled in batches by category.

The new market's functional configuration includes commercial stalls, elevators, parking facilities, police facilities, and a fire protection system. The construction team is currently dividing stalls and arranging functional spaces inside the buildings, while also advancing the finishing of facades and outdoor works to create conditions for putting the Phase One buildings into use.

The overall investment in the Gikomba Market modernization project is about 5 billion Kenyan shillings, jointly promoted by Kenya's central government and the Nairobi County government. The pace of project progress is already reflected in several facilities: on September 11, the Gikomba Quarry Road market project reached 96% completion, indicating that multiple market facilities in the area have collectively entered the late stage of construction.

While Phase One is being finalized, Phase Two has also begun on-site preparation. Information disclosed on September 22 shows that Phase Two has started site clearing, earth excavation, and the mobilization of construction machinery, with the next stage set to enter foundation construction and main structural work.

For the second-hand clothing trade, Gikomba is one of East Africa's important second-hand clothing distribution hubs and a key node in Kenya's "mitumba" market. The phased handover of the renovation project and the batch relocation of traders will directly affect the supply rhythm and trading landscape of local second-hand clothing stalls in the coming months, and relevant operators need to pay attention to the transitional impact brought by the relocation arrangements.

Source: Phase One of Nairobi's Gikomba Market in Kenya Enters Final Stage, Scheduled for Completion on October 15 · Originally published on 2026-09-28