Inside major building material markets in Northern Nigeria

Building material markets are gradually spreading fast across major cities in Northern Nigeria due to the critical nature real estate sector to every economy For this reason markets with diverse goods but concentration of  building materials are smartly utilising the business opportunity feeding the growing demands of the construction industry with the required raw materials […]

Building material markets are gradually spreading fast across major cities in Northern Nigeria due to the critical nature real estate sector to every economy

For this reason markets with diverse goods but concentration of  building materials are smartly utilising the business opportunity feeding the growing demands of the construction industry with the required raw materials to erect solid and time tested structures.

Daily Trust takes a look at some major building material markets across northern cities, their location, available materials sold among others.

 

Kano

Kano the commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria,is  rapidly expanding into the country’s biggest construction site with the  springing up of new settlements to accommodate its growing population.

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Here is a list of some of the building materials markets in Kano.

 

1. France Road:

Located in Sabon Gari, Fagge local government area, the market is a major hub for modern,imported building materials like WC (water closet), ceramics, tiles, paints,POP materials, plumbing materials including sanitary ware, security doors,barb wire and electrical fittings like wall brackets, chandeliers etc.

The market starting from  France road through Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH annexing Ibo road.Shops attached to Waje Jumaah mosque facing the old Wapa cinema are hosting traders selling building materials like paints,POP materials and metal doors.

Garba Dan Dikko a trader at France road said he has been trading in plumbing materials since the 1970s  when the Kano State government under  the late Abubakar Rimi relocated  iron (rod) sellers to Kofar Ruwa market where they are currently plying their trade.He said the old motor park at Triumph was also relocated to Tashar Kuka close to Kofar ruwa at about the same time.

Dikko said renting a shop at the time was around N300 per annum but It has jumped to between N800,000 and N1 million now depending on location.

Prominent building materials dealers in the market include Alba Bello Trading company, a famous distributor of cement, roofing sheets, ceilings,doors among several others.

Other prominent dealers in the market include Madakin Gini and Sons limited, Aikawa General Merchants dealing in paints and iron doors.

Contractors, estate developers, home owners and others often come directly to buy in this market because prices can be competitive.

 

2. Kofar Ruwa market

The market is famously known for selling different types of iron (rod) used in constructing concrete floors,pillars,beams,concrete decking among several others.

Plumbing materials are also sold here.The market was initially located at France road before it’s relocation to Kofar Ruwa in Dala local government area.

Distributors and wholesalers of paints and finishing products can be found in the market.

 

3.Railway station cement depot

Railway station located along civic centre road serves as a major hub for cement distributors.Big cement producers like Dangote, BUA, Mangal, Ashaka,Sokoto and Lafarge have major dealers at the railway station strategically located in the city centre.

The train station has been an ancient freight hub with trains coming to Kano from Lagos to reach other destinations like Nguru in Yobe state.

 

4. Naibawa Yan Katako

It is a major wood market located in Kumbotso local government area.

Various sizes of Wood, an essential material used in roofing and decking, can be purchased at Yan Katako market where other building materials are also sold.

The market is one of the oldest markets in Kano dating back to the time of Abubakar Rimi administration.

Another Katako (wood) market , located at Bachirawa is to supply builders at Kurna/Rijiyar Lemo/Bachirawa/Mil Tara axis.

 

Maiduguri

In Borno State, there are many places where building materials are displayed for sale but the most prominent locations operating as open markets are Baban Layi, Baga Timber Shed, Galadima/ Flour mills junction and Custom.

 

At Baga Timber Shed,

At Baga Timber shed, buyers can find complete materials for roofing, iron, and Damp Proof Course (DPC) items when building a structure.

Materials available include roofing wood, nails, zinc, iron rod and bending wires, ready made wooding and metal doors, mash wires, pipes, gates, paints.

 

Baban-layi

Baban-layi, located at the heart of Maiduguri, close to Shehu of Borno’s palace is  is a market for Electrical and electronics, plumbing materials, kitchen/ Toilets fittings, lighting materials, tiling, Pipes, POP cements

Galadima/flour mills junction

Another building material market is Galadima/ Flour mills junction, where major cement dealers are found buying and selling cement from Dangote, Bua and other warehouses.

 

Baga road

In the same vein, Baga road is another market where boreholes, generating sets, water tanks and doors are sold.

 

Customs/Gambarou

Custom/Gambarou general area is also an area where second hand building materials are being sold such as road, toiletries, lighting and kitchen fittings.

 

Katsina

In Katsina, cement and tilling materials are sold around old garage otherwise known as Tsohuwar Tasha and Yahaya Madaki way, both located in Katsina metropolis.

Similarly,zinc,nails doors and windows as well as paints and toilet, water facilities are scartered across Katsina city with Gwangwan and Magangarin Gafai on Yahaya Madaki and Nagogo roads taking the lion share of the business operators.

In the same vein, the Katsina timber shade is located on Katsina -Dutsinma road before Alqalam university in Katsina which has been providing the timber demands for numerous builders in katsina metropolis.

The building material business is thriving in katsina for decades.

 

Kaduna

Panteka Market is one of the busiest and best-known markets in Kaduna for building materials, including metal, wood, roofing sheets, doors, plumbing items, paints, and more.

The market is located in the Tudun Nufawa community, opposite Kaduna Polytechnic and close to Dantsoho Hospital.

Panteka Market is a primary destination for contractors, builders, and painters. It is the one place where you can find virtually all the building materials you need.

AlbaBello Trading Company is an indigenous firm with branches across northern Nigeria, specializing in building materials. Its headquarters is located at Timber Shed, ‘Yan Katako, Sabon Gari, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The company also has a branch at Panteka Market along Malam Madori Road, Tudun Nufawa.

Similarly, Abubakar Gumi Central Market, Kaduna’s central market, has multiple sections with many traders selling building supplies alongside general merchandise.

Such traders can be found along Kano Road and other streets surrounding the Gumi Market, which is located within Kaduna metropolis.

Kakuri Market, located in the Kakuri community, is another area where building materials such as paint, doors, windows, tiles, and cement can be found.

There are also smaller markets in Tudun Wada, Rigasa, and other communities where shops sell construction and building materials.

They include Karaye Construction Company, which sells different types of tiles along Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, Kaduna.

 

From Ahmad Datti (Kano), Hamisu Kabir Matazu (Maiduguri), Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba (Kaduna) & Abdullahi Izma Yamadi (Katsina)