This article on the West Hills Mall was originally published by Eden Heights and was authored by Kadi Yao Tay.
At 298,000+ square feet, West Hills Mall is the biggest mall in Ghana and arguably the second biggest mall in West Africa, after Tinapa Shopping Mall in Nigeria. The mall is expected to add an additional 75347 square feet to its space, taking the total size of the mall to 373,508 square feet.
Since its inception on October 30, 2014, the mall has become a much-needed shopping and recreational destination for people living in and around the Weija area and beyond, easing the pressure that would have been exerted on the Accra Mall. It is one of the top retail centres in Ghana and possibly, the second most popular in Ghana.
This article gives a comprehensive overview of the mall, detailing everything from where the mall is located, interesting facts, opening and closing times of West Hills, the owners, real estate options around the mall as well as the shops and services to be found at the mall.
Directions to West Hills Mall
West Hills Mall is located at Dukonoh, close to Weija on the Accra – Cape Coast Highway. Ghana’s biggest retail centre is 24 km, and approximately a 38 minutes drive from the Kotoka International Airport.
Wondering how to get to West Hills Mall? You’re in luck. No matter which part of the city you’re located at, there are four primary transport options available to get to the mall.
- Boarding a trotro (name for busses in Accra)
- Boarding a taxi
- Using a ride-hailing app like Uber, Dropping, Bolt or Yango
- Private transportation via a car or motorcycle
If you’re going to the mall via trotro from any part of Accra, you only need to get a Kasoa bound trotro. These buses can be found at all major transport terminals in Accra. These include Tema Station, Lapaz, 37, Circle, and Madina Station. For those coming from the Kasoa side of the accra – Cape Coast Highway, you need to board an Accra, Madina or Circle bound trotro.
The other transport options are easier to get and involve less haggles. Prices vary widely depending on where you’re coming from. For people living just around the mall, walking and localized (or loading) taxis are often the best option.
Opening & Closing Times of West Hills Mall
The mall is generally open from 8 am to 11 pm daily. The main exception, however, is the Silverbird Cinemas which sometimes closes after 11 pm depending on movie schedules and runtimes.
Shops at West Hills Mall
Typical of other malls within the same family like the Accra Mall and Kumasi City Mall, West Hills Mall houses a good mix of tenants selling products and services. These include popular South African and anchor brands such as Shoprite and Game, other brands such as Nallem Clothing, Silverbird Cinemas, several eateries and banking services among others.
West Hills Mall presently houses 48 stores, a decline from 67 stores when it first started. This decline can be attributed to the departure of major stores such as Foschini, Woolworth, American Swiss, Payless, Sportscene, Palace, Markham, @Home and Edgars from Ghana. There was some buzz in 2019 about this decline, with reports stating that the “West Hills Mall was dying”.
This was rubbished by the management of the facility stating that “this development, unfortunate as it may be, has offered an opportunity to introduce a new and exciting mix of local and international tenants to serve our customers.” (Source: TheGhanaReport)
This decline nonetheless, other stores are thriving within the mall. Below is a list of all the shops and brands at West Hills Mall accurate as of February 26, 2020.
Anchor Shops
- Game
- Shoprite
Electronics
- Compu Ghana
- Compu Ghana
- Electronics Hub
- Hisense
- Starlite
- Telefonika
- ZKTeco Experience Centre
Home & Décor
- Ashfoam
- Banana Home
- A J Boaz Furniture
Fashion & Jewellery
- Aha!
- AJ Boaz
- Bata
- Grosvenor
- Jocent
- Mr Price
- Mv Accessories
- Nallem
- Tessori
- UK Brands
- Woodin
Entertainment
- Fun4Kids
- Silverbird Cinemas
- Vulcano Vip Casino
Health & Beauty
- Divine Organic
- Mall Pharmacy
- Mac
- Maybelline
- Royal Hair
- Scentopia
- Thai Massage
Food
- The Addo’s
- Barcelos
- Basilissa
- Chale Wote
- Chicken Inn
- Creamy Inn
- New York Sizzler
- Pizza Inn
Service Providers at West Hills Mall
Banks and Forex Bureaus
- First National Bank
- Delles Forex Bureau
- Stanbic Bank
- Standard Chartered Bank
Telcos & Others
- MTN
- Photostore
- Rent Air
- Vodafone
Here’s a link to the mall’s store listings for more up-to-date information.
Top West Hills Mall Amenities
A mall is not just a place to buy and sell goods and services. It’s also a great place to hang out. In fact, a 2020 article by Curbed describes how dying malls seek second life as entertainment destinations, showing how malls have transcended the mere shop and go experience.
This is made possible by the amenities provided by the mall itself, tenants and other savvy entrepreneurs. West Hills Mall is no different. Some of the amenities that make the West Hills Mall an attraction are detailed below.
Large Parking Lot
As Ghana’s largest retail centre, serving a rapidly expanding lower to mid-upper class suburb, it’s only fitting that the mall has ample parking space for the thousands of patrons it attracts. The mall does not disappoint. The mall offers a parking area with capacity for 1400 cars. This is to say that, whatever big event takes place at the mall, it is well equipped to accommodate that many cars and people.
Children’s Playground & Library
The mall opened a playground a year after opening, to cater to the adventurous spirits of children while their parents or guardians shopped or relaxed. According to Ms Bram-Larbi, CEO of Fun 4 Kids, the playground was established in response to the desire of children to read and play whenever they accompanied their parents or guardians to the mall. (Source: News Ghana).
In 2018, the mall opened a children’s library to “boost the habit of reading among young children.” Known as the West Hills Mall Pom-pom Library, it was set up to combat the dwindling proficiency and interest in reading among children in the area by rolling out programmes (and activities) designed to make reading attractive to children and in so doing, build a reading culture among them. The 150 square metre space Pom-Pom Library is opened everyday between 10 am and 7 pm.
Cinema
Movie theatres are one of the biggest attractions to the recently developed malls in Ghana. At the forefront of movie theatres in Accra is Silverbird Cinemas. This Nigerian company has effectively changed and shaped the culture of movie-going in the country. Thanks to the cinema, Ghanaians are able to watch blockbuster movies on the same release day internationally. Because of its location and unique position as one of the leading malls, movie tickets at Silverbird Cinemas at West Hills Mall are priced significantly lower and can be a money saver for most movie-goers.
Health Centre (Pharmacy)
In the case of a medical emergency at the mall, where do patrons turn to? Luckily, West Hills Mall features a functional health clinic with a physician at post as well as a pharmacy. Life Health Care Clinic and The Mall Pharmacy are two important amenities in the mall that offer healthcare services as any pharmacy or clinic would. Standard medical services can be expected as well as dental and optical healthcare.
Open-Air Concerts and Theatrical Shows and More
Every conceivable space of West Hills Mall serves a unique purpose. Typically, the outdoor spaces are used as walkways and places for shoppers to relax. On special occasions however, these spaces are converted into performance spaces. In 2019 for instance, Ghanaian singer, Wendy Shay thrilled fans with a Christmas concert while on Boxing Day that same year, the Ghana Police Band led an orchestral performance at the mall.
Ownership, Management and Marketing
This $93 million mall is owned by Social Security & National Investment Trust (SSNIT) and Delico Property Developments (an investment company controlled by Atterbury Africa). Delico has a 60% stake in the mall while SSNIT has 40%. Interestingly, Atterbury Africa has a controlling stake in the other major malls in the country, namely, Accra Mall and Kumasi Mall.
Real estate brokerage firm and facility manager, Broll Ghana manages West Hills Mall as well as Accra Mall, Kumasi Mall and the Achimota Retail Centre. Emerge Marketing is responsible for the marketing of all four malls.
Real Estate Developments (Estates & Apartments) Behind West Hills Mall
The West Hills Mall is an important asset to the people living close to it thanks to all the services and amenities it provides such banks, cinemas, restaurants and more. With such a convenient infrastructure, it is no surprise that the real estate appeal of the Dukonah and Weija area has risen.
As real estate gets more expensive in major Accra neighbourhoods, home seekers have moved further to relatively cheaper neighbourhoods. Existing communities around the mall have grown and newer settlements are developing as people move closer.
The housing being developed are mostly by individuals, building in their own styles with no real regard for the rest of the neighbourhood, security and other factors. Thankfully, a few with the knowledge and experience have built appropriate accommodation for house seekers.
Houses and apartments worth buying or renting behind the West Hills Mall are described below.
Eden Heights (by Westhills Ridge Company)
Eden Heights is the foremost residential development situated close to the West Hills Mall. This luxury residential development is approximately 40 minutes’ drive from the Airport and just minutes’ walk from the West Hills Mall. The master-planned development provides residents with convenience, comfort, security, and peace of mind.
Eden Heights Apartments provides 1,272 luxury apartment units in a bid to reduce Ghana’s housing deficit, and to provide a safe and convenient space for people who want to live far away from the hectic state of Accra, but still be in a city.
Eden Heights offers a unique residential space dedicated to providing residents with comfort and luxury in addition to a world-class sports facility, on-site management office, ample parking, and a very serene environment.
It offers one (1) to four (4) bedroom apartments and penthouses within a gated community, all with grade ‘A’ finishing and options to customize.
Eden Heights, which is developed by Westhills Ridge Company Limited, has been carefully designed and constructed to meet safety standards and also to meet the health and lifestyle patterns of the modern city dweller, making it undoubtedly a unique residential destination for luxury in Ghana.
Fortune City (by Sunda International)
Fortune City is a gated community of 140 acres located just behind the West Hills Mall. The distinct development, with its yellow colours offers a wide range of amenities including paved roads, lawn tennis court, basketball court, children’s playground swimming pool, gym, solar-powered street lamps and more.
Other than these 2 gated properties behind the West Hills Mall, a number of houses either for rent or sale are available. If you must acquire any of these, it is important to do so with utmost caution.
Conclusion
West Hills Mall touts itself as a happy place. As one of the top retail centres in Ghana boasting several amenities, shops and brands, and the convenience of the mall in the Weija area, it’s not difficult to see why. The mall will not only serve the needs of people living close to it, but extend to places like Kasoa in the Central Region.
The mall has become a landmark of prosperity and development in the otherwise ignored area, providing jobs to many and subsequently raising the economic profile of those it affects.
All image credits go to Rocky Amartey, who posted them on the Skyscraper City forum.