New shopping experience for Kano as Alpine unveils Ado Bayero Mall

Sitting massively on a gross built area of 31,000 square metres in the heart of Kano is Ado Bayero Mall, an Alpine Investment Limited’s project that is set to change shopping experience in the ancient city.

Currently at 80 percent completion stage, the mall enjoys a prime location in a well balanced neighbourhood mix of commercial and residential properties. It is located near major access roads such as the Zaria-Kaduna-Abuja highways, and is adjacent to major landmarks such as the Kano Trade Fair Complex and the historic Kano Zoo on Zoo Road.

Its high-profile location guarantees easy access and visibility for all tenants and shoppers, and it is expected to offer specialist facilities to departmental stores, banks, fast-food outlets and restaurants, salons and any other tenant with specific needs.

The promoters say they intend to make the mall one of the top three highest grossing shopping centres in the country as measured by sales per square metre, adding that they will also promote the super-regional mall as the biggest family oriented shopping and entertainment attraction in Northern Nigeria.

Already, the mall has signed up two major international shopping retailers – Shoprite and Game, a large modern indoor six i-screen cinema operated by Film House Cinemas. Also signed up are other international and national brands such as Adidas, Swatch, Samsung, Airtel, Etisalat, Lifemate, Debonairs Pizza, Medplus, Gene Bendi, Ruff n Tumble, Electromat, and First Bank.

“The mall is expected to provide a broad range of other offerings including restaurants and media stores. As a family oriented relaxation centre, it will also cater for an indoor play area for young children in addition to its 70 customisable shop spaces and ample parking for over 1,000 automobiles,” the promoters assure.

According to them, the opening of the mall will, without doubt, boost the commercial, economic and social life of Kano State, and will further consolidate the state’s ranking as Nigeria’s second largest economy as confirmed by global investment banking firm – Renaissance Capital, in their May 2013 report, titled “Nigeria Unveiled.”

The promoters note that, though still at infancy, the emergence and acceptance of new trade channels, specifically retail shopping centres, have been remarkable with such developments springing up across major cities.

“Just like its contemporaries across the globe, Kano is set to join the league of such cities that play host to world-class infrastructure and malls with the soon to be commissioned Ado Bayero Mall, which will rank as the biggest shopping complex in Nigeria with a gross built area of 31,000 square metres. The centrally air-conditioned mall with all the bells and whistles will be comparable to any modern shopping mall in major capitals of the world,” the promoters enthuse.

Continuing, they say: “As host state to this large modern retail shopping mall, Kano is holding true to its antecedents as a major commercial hub dating back to the days of trans-Saharan trade. Apart from direct employment generation for thousands of residents by the retail outfits in the mall, the centre will create opportunities for backward integration for local farmers and industries with a ready market for their products.”

They hope that the opening of the mall for business in the last quarter of 2014 will put Kano on the global retail shopping and entertainment map, with catalytic effect on tourism in the state.