Gikomba Market

Gikomba Market in Nairobi's business district dates from the 1960s and is East Africa's largest open-air wholesale hub for second-hand clothing, known in Swahili as mitumba. It also trades footwear, kitchenware, fresh food and sundries, drawing buyers from Tanzania, Uganda and other East African countries, and is busiest at weekends when traders sort and resell bales imported from overseas. It remains active and open for trade according to recent reporting, and on-site visits by prospective overseas suppliers are welcomed by the resident traders.

Its core is bale wholesale and sorting of second-hand clothing, alongside footwear, daily goods and food. For Chinese suppliers, the used-clothing chain points to strong demand for new-clothing alternatives, affordable footwear, household goods and food packaging, making it an entry into East Africa's redistribution network serving millions of low-income consumers. Chinese exporters planning market entry are advised to arrange on-site visits and work with local agents to establish their first working contacts with resident wholesalers.