Africa’s largest mall housing 3,500 shops, 3 hospitals, 12 banks, 7-star hotel to be unveiled in Eastleigh

With over 50 shopping malls in Eastleigh, the Nairobi business hub is set to unveil the largest mall in Africa with over 3500 shops.

Business bay square (BBS) mall, which is expected to be a game changer and touted as the biggest mall on the continent, will have 3,500 shops, 3 hospitals, 12 banks and a 7-star hotel all under one roof.

With the mall set to be launched in a few months' time, the developers say that the demand for spaces at the property is overwhelming despite Eastleigh having more than 50 malls.

Thousands of tenants seeking to occupy malls that are under construction have been put on a waiting list due to the high demand.

"There are businesses on a waiting list waiting to occupy and this is because of the huge demand for shops in the area which is essentially the country’s business nerve centre," Ahmed Asmali, a member of the Eastleigh Business Community told Citizen Digital.

According to Naftaly Mwangi, a developer in the area, most of the malls are made in a way that they become wholesale hubs for other businesses not only in the country but also in the region.

"Eastleigh has been designated for B2B. People will come into Eastleigh, buy things then sell them in other areas. So Eastleigh is one of the best business hubs in East Africa," said Mwangi.

Aside from attracting businesses, it is estimated that Eastleigh hosts investments worth billions of shillings and contributes at least 30 per cent of taxes collected by Nairobi County.

 "Eastleigh is no longer a neighbourhood. It is a city within a city," added Asmali.

The fact that it is located in a cosmopolitan area has provided Eastleigh with an ambience for the energetic yet thriving commercial hub.

Small shops, eateries and cafes, and surging population are squeezed in to a compact 2,000-acre grid yet the business seem to find a way of expanding.