Shopping in Accra: A Travel Guide

Industry in Accra is a growing like wildfire. There’re new boutiques and shopping centers popping up every month. If you’re looking for a west African city with amazing markets, and products at wide range of price points, Accra’s your spot. Here are the places I’d recommend seeing when traveling to Accra.

Makola Market: This outdoor market is HUGE! It’s located in the heart of the city and is a common destination for locals and tourists alike. You can find literally anything. Staple goods at Makola are wax print fabrics, food items, jewelry and even hair weaves and accessories. Check out my blog post (here) on tips for how to shop for wax print fabrics at Maloka! I love shopping at this market, even if it’s just to explore and look around. There’re so many sights and smells to take in! I usually buy my raw black soap from this market as well.

Tudu: If you’re looking for super affordable clothing this is your spot. The shops in this area (mostly on Kinbu Rd.) sell trendy clothing items for men and women at wholesale prices. This area of the city bleeds into Makola so it’s possible to see both places on the same day…just be sure you carve out enough time to actually see everything. The prices are less expensive compared to the malls and the quality is pretty solid depending on the clothing item and vendor you choose. I bought my husband 4 brand new shirts for 150ghs ($26ish USD) and they are really nice quality. There’re lots of knock off handbags, shoes/accessories and jeans sold here as well if that’s your thing. Don’t be afraid to bargain with the sellers. I bought the blue dress listed in the photo above in Tudu for 50ghs = $9ish USD.

Kantamanto: If you love thrifting, you will have a ball at Kantamanto second hand market. This is an outdoor flea market located around the same area as Makola. There are aisles and aisles of used clothing from all over the world. New shipments of clothing are brought into the market usually on Saturday’s and Wednesday’s. Some of the clothing is such great quality that boutiques will buy it and then resell it at their own shops in the suburbs at a marked-up price. But be warned, the competition for the best items is fierce. To get prime items you should go early between 6-8am on market days (Saturday/Wednesday). I’ve bought gently used lace tops here for as low as 10ghs!! I’ve even seen some nice dresses that still had tags on them. As Macklemore says, “One man’s trash, that’s another man’s come up!”

**Nearly all vendors at Makola, Tudu and Kantamanto ONLY accept cash. Some accept mobile money (a local form of digital payment), but if you’re traveling from abroad and don’t have a local bank account, always carry cash for things you want to buy. There are ATM’s at various places around the market.

Accra Mall: If you like traditional mall experiences then this is your spot. If you’re used to HUGE mega malls like in the U.S. or Europe be warned, Accra mall is very small compared to international malls. Still, there are solid shops if you’re looking for designer make-up like Dior, shoes, tech, or designer quality fabrics (Vlisco and Woodin). There’s an Apple store, grocery store and movie theatre as well at this location. There’s also a food court with lots of options if you’re craving western food (like KFC or Burger King).

**There are several malls in Accra (like Palace Mall and The Junction Mall), but I soon realized that they’re all pretty much the same in terms of their retailers. Once you’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all so don’t feel like you have to travel to every single mall in the city.

Oxford Street in Osu: If you’re looking for items with a uniquely African flair, Oxford Street is a nice once-stop-shop for things like, straw bags, trinkets, African art and cheap ready-made dresses. Though the selection isn’t as large as other places in the city like, The Accra Art Centre, the touristy vibe and friendly vendors make it a nice place to experiment with bargaining.

Boutiques: There’re an array of boutiques in Accra. Some have luxury goods and designer fashion. Others carry more basic goods or American/British brands at really outrageous prices. It’s important to not overpay for items that you could get online or shipped from out of the country. Always convert the price to your usual currency before you pay to see if the value of the item matches the price.

I walked into a boutique once and they were trying to sell me a basic straw hat from Zara for almost $40?! (No mam, that ain’t it.) While some boutiques will rip you off in terms of their items, other places carry unique bespoke garments from African designers that you wouldn’t be able to get in any other place. These are several designer boutiques that I would recommend checking out: Viva Boutique, Bello Edu, Charlotte Prive, Christie Brown, Diva Delicious and Ajepomaa Gallery.

Comment below about your shopping experiences in Accra! I’d love to hear from you. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog for updates on all things fashion, travel and music.