Kantamanto Market is a market area situated in the central business district of
Accra
Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...
, in
Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
. The market consists mostly of the typical Akan tribes of Kwahus and Ashantis. It is a well known market in Accra with a specialization in clothing resale.
Formation
The market was formed in the 90's
The site is an important part of the informal economy of the city.
At its peak it was the largest used clothes market in West Africa.
The site received increasing international attention after
sustainable fashion
Sustainable fashion is a term describing efforts within the fashion industry to reduce its environmental impacts, protect workers producing garments and uphold animal welfare. Sustainability in fashion encompasses a wide range of factors, incl ...
activists and journalists identified the market as one of the main receivers of imported unusable used clothing in the
fast fashion industry.
Before the
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
pandemic, 40% of the garments that enter the market and are sorted by traders get discarded into landfills.
The market and its informal economy play an important role in the city's economy, and COVID-19 restrictions greatly harmed the trade in the city.
A December 2020 fire, which some reports suggest
were set by real estate developers, decimated the market. Though some vendors tried to return to the site,
developers announced in March 2021 that they are building a new shopping center at the site.
Market structure
There are over 30,000 traders in the market selling all kinds of wares from used clothing to food to car spare parts.
Fires
Due to the congested nature of the market, when ever there is a fire outbreak the damage is always extensive. With the destruction of good and structures running into several thousands of
cedis. There are no
fire hydrants
A fire hydrant, fireplug, firecock (archaic), hydrant riser or Johnny Pump is a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply. It is a component of active fire protection. Underground fire hydrants have been used in Europe an ...
in the market making it almost impossible to refill
fire tenders which run out of water during fires. This story is similar to other markets in the country such as
Kotokoraba market,
Market Circle and the
Kejetia market
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 p ...
. A fire outbreak occurred in the market on Tuesday, 19 April 2011. Another fire erupted in the market in May 2013.
As the market gets increasingly congested, many traders have aired concerns ranging from expansion works to be done; improved fire safety to prevention of ejection.
The Or Foundation found that a fire was deliberately set by real estate development firm set fire to part of the market in December 2020. The fire was part of a long series of fires at markets in Accra. And the site had experienced a fire 10 months before.
In January 2025, a fire destroyed a significant portion of the market, displacing hundreds of traders. After the fire to the market in January 2025 The Or Foundation donated one million Ghana Cedis to the rebuilding of the Kantamanto market.
Redevelopment
In March 2021, the real estate developer Golden Coast Developers announced a partnership with K''antamanto Traders Association and the Ministry of Railway as well as the Railway Development.''
In culture
Artist Sel Kofiga documents the cloth trade in the market through upcycling and mixed media art projects.
Samuel Oteng organizes a similar upcycling company.
The Or Foundation and artist/activist Liz Ricketts organized an anti-fashion waste art project called "Dead White Man's Clothes" to examine the waste created by the textile import trade.
References
{{Ghana topics
Retail markets in Ghana
Economy of Accra