Ejisu-Kwamo community pushes African Mall to adopt 24-hour operations

Community leaders in Ejisu-Kwamo are making a fresh pitch to the management of African Mall, the newly opened retail facility in the Ashanti Region, to expand operations beyond current trading hours and run around the clock. The call reflects growing optimism about the mall's potential to reshape the local economy, but also reveals how strategic infrastructure decisions can unlock broader development benefits for smaller towns beyond Ghana's major urban centres.

The mall, which has already created nearly 100 jobs since opening, has been welcomed by local authorities and the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator as a significant investment in the area. However, community stakeholders believe the facility's economic impact could be multiplied substantially if it operates 24 hours daily, enabling residents to access goods and services at all times whilst creating additional employment across extended shifts.

The 24-hour economy push

The Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Alhaji Nji Abdallah Umar, confirmed that discussions are underway with African Mall management regarding alignment with Ghana's 24-hour economy policy. He acknowledged the immediate benefits already visible—nearly 100 employees are now gainfully employed at the facility, contributing tax revenue to government coffers whilst earning livelihoods for themselves and their families.

Umar highlighted that extended operating hours would serve a dual purpose: residents would gain round-the-clock access to shopping, dining and services, whilst the mall could hire additional staff to cover night shifts and early morning periods. The proposal aligns with broader government initiatives to stimulate economic activity and formalise employment across the country.

Why it matters for Ghana

This development reflects a broader pattern in Ghana's retail and commercial landscape. While shopping centres and modern malls remain heavily concentrated in Accra, Tema and central Kumasi, secondary towns like Ejisu-Kwamo are increasingly becoming attractive investment destinations. The African Mall case study demonstrates how anchor retail projects can catalyse local employment and tax generation, but also shows that communities are beginning to think strategically about maximising returns on such investments.

For Ghanaians, the significance extends beyond Ejisu-Kwamo. If the 24-hour model proves successful here, it could set a precedent for similar facilities across the Ashanti Region and other emerging commercial hubs. This would support the government's stated goal of decentralising economic activity away from the capital and major cities, potentially creating jobs and improving service access for millions of Ghanaians in towns and regions that have historically lagged behind in commercial development.

The investment rationale

African Mall's Operations Manager, Bao Jian Wen, explained that the decision to locate in Ejisu was deliberate. With Kumasi being Ghana's second-largest city and experiencing rapid population growth, the surrounding areas offer significant untapped retail potential. Whilst many shopping centres cluster in congested urban cores, Ejisu presents a relatively unexploited opportunity for managed retail development serving a growing residential and commercial base.

The mall's positioning reflects a recognition that Ghana's retail sector is maturing. Investors are now looking beyond saturated central locations to secondary and tertiary towns where rising populations and disposable incomes create genuine demand for organised retail spaces. Ejisu-Kwamo, with its proximity to Kumasi and its own expanding population, fits this profile precisely.

Community leaders remain hopeful that management will embrace the 24-hour proposal, viewing it as an opportunity to entrench the mall's role as an economic engine whilst setting a template for future retail developments in the region.