Nairobi’s Gikomba market nears completion, traders promised safer spaces

The seven-storey Gikomba Quarry Road Market Block D, now in its final construction phase, is set to accommodate over 1,700 traders in safer, more organized spaces. The facility includes a basement parking area, day-care centre, youth centre, cold room, and hardware section.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the new market marks the end of years of vulnerability for traders affected by fires.

“For years, Gikomba has been a place of pain for many families who’ve lost everything to fires. We made a commitment to end that cycle. What we’re building here is not just a market,  it’s safety and order for our traders,” Sakaja said.

He added that the Gikomba redevelopment is part of a broader county initiative to modernize markets across Nairobi, improving safety, cleanliness, and management standards.

“Our traders deserve decent spaces to do business. When we empower them, we strengthen Nairobi’s economy,” he noted.

The project has created hundreds of construction jobs and is expected to boost economic activity once operational.

Similar market developments are underway in other sub-counties, including Mutuini Market in Dagoretti South, which will house about 500 traders and feature cold rooms, butcheries, proper drainage, and lighting. Projects in Karen, Kahawa West, and other areas are also progressing under the same initiative.

In partnership with the national government, the modern Gikomba Market is expected to provide a safer and more dignified trading environment, a major shift for one of Nairobi’s most iconic and disaster-prone markets.