El-Rufai signs N3.9bn Kaduna Galaxy Mall contract

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state has signed a N3.9 billion contract with Amsalco and UBA Bank for the construction of Kaduna Galaxy Mall on Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The project, to be sited on a four hectares of land at Murtala Square, along Muhammadu Buhari Way (former Waff Road), consists of one major anchor tenant, three cinemas, six restaurants, 48-line shops and over 360 car parking bays and is to be completed in 18 months.

Speaking at the contract signing and groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday in Kaduna, Governor el-Rufai said the project which was mooted for opposite Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House before it was aborted, was part of urban renewal programmes of his administration.

He tasked all investors involved to do their duty to make it a viable and living reality.

“We recently unveiled a package of road construction projects to improve connections within Kaduna City by paving new roads and upgrading existing ones. An important dimension of the urban renewal programme is the provision of facilities for recreation, including parks, green areas and shopping amenities.

“We are today taking a major step to deliver the Kaduna Galaxy Mall. The contract signing and groundbreaking ceremony we perform today brings closer to realisation a project that has suffered unfortunate delays. Work has commenced on developing a new Centenary Park opposite the Government House. 

“That park is being developed on the site initially earmarked for the Galaxy Mall project we launched in partnership with UAC Property Development company (UPDC) in 2016. That dream was painfully aborted. But we have since that setback considered options for building a mall to maximise the retail opportunities in Kaduna, improve the shopping experience for our people and provide facilities like cinemas and restaurants.

“The Kaduna Markets Development and Management Agency (KMDMC) have structured this N3.9bn project as a public private partnership between the Kaduna state government, Amsalco, a private firm and the United Bank for Africa. I have no doubt that this structure will deliver the mall within the envisaged 18 months.

“The Kaduna Galaxy Mall is being built on four hectares of land and will have 7,491 square metres of letable space. Upon completion, the mall will have space for one major anchor tenant, three cinemas, six restaurants, 48-line shops and over 360 car parking bays. The mall will be constructed by CCECC Nigeria Limited, our partners in the Urban Renewal Programme, which includes the dualisation of WAFF Road, the main access road to the mall.

“Having a decent mall in a city is a quality of life issue, giving people more options for shopping and relaxation. But a mall also expands economic opportunity, for farmers, suppliers, sellers and the workers that will be recruited to build it and to run the facilities therein. Therefore, we expect that this project will be completed on schedule.”

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