There is more to starting a business than just registering it. Many say “when you start a business it becomes your baby” and, as such, one of the hardest things to do after starting a business is letting it go.

To succeed in business today, the location of the business may be one of the key factors. A dilemma most business owners face is the decision on whether to purchase a commercial property or lease one. Typically,  commercial properties enhance the business and give customers an avenue for physical interaction with the product or service. As such, accessibility of location as well as convenience to clients, when done right, is highly beneficial and important.

When considering location, neighbourhoods/communities in Accra have a unique segmentation. Some neighbourhoods are considered as commercial/industrial areas whereas some others are considered more as residential areas. Commercial properties in neighbourhoods considered to be commercial/industrial areas are high in demand and add many advantages to the service provided.

Below, we provide a list of highly desired commercial neighbourhoods in the city of Accra.

OSU

‘The neighbourhood that never sleeps’ holds a part of Parliament and is considered highly commercial. With many companies, bars, lounges, restaurants, banks, supermarkets, etc. Transport to and from the city, whether privately or with public vehicles, is easy and very convenient.  It is not only known for already established businesses, but equally considered quite friendly to many start up businesses as well.

AIRPORT RESIDENTIAL AREA

Just as the name suggests, the Kotoka International Airport sits in this beautiful community, making it a perfect business location to provide services for arrivals into the country: expats, foreigners, locals and returnees alike. The neighbourhood, originally a residential community, conveniently, has modern structures with a large number being commercial properties to let.

Its close proximity to the Kotoka International Airport makes the demand for commercial properties in the Airport Residential Area quite high.

DZORWULU

As mentioned earlier, accessibility drives the demand for commercial properties in some neighbourhoods and Dzorwulu happens to be one of such neighbourhoods with that demand.

This community  holds quite a number of businesses who are players in the oil and gas industry. Not left out are schools, hotels, manufacturing companies, hospitals, car rental companies and earth moving machinery companies, as well as business set ups as well. Dzorwulu shares boundaries with the Airport Residential Area with easy access via private and public transport.

SPINTEX

Situated closer to the coast as well as the port city of Tema, the beautiful community of Spintex is considered both commercial and residential. That being a merit to workers and employers alike, many industrial companies, automotive companies, Indian/Lebanese supermarkets and shopping centres are situated in and along the streets of Spintex.

Density of traffic is a major characteristic of Spintex and this has largely been accepted to be inevitable due, mainly, to the large numbers of individuals moving in and out of the neighbourhood during the productive hours of the day.

TEMA

Although technically, another city separate from Accra, Ghana’s major port city is intricately related to Accra and is mostly included whenever Accra is spoken of. It is mainly known for Ghana’s main seaport, which is the Tema Harbour. Compared to Spintex, many communities in Tema have quite a number of industrial and production facilities. Conveniently close to the Port can be found production companies, import and export companies, moving companies, to mention a few.

The desire for some companies to be near the harbour has fueled the demand for accommodations, especially, warehouses as well as residential properties within Tema.

NORTH KANESHIE

North Kaneshie is another suburb of the Accra Metropolitan area of the Greater Accra Region. Popularly known among Ghanians as an industrial area, North Kaneshie has many pharmaceutical companies, polyurethane foam companies, and many more.

The busy community, equally, has many local businesses with many distribution vehicles going in and out of the area.

North Kaneshie is ideal for manufacturing companies and companies providing the services of distribution or deliveries across towns and cities in the country.

ACCRA CENTRAL

Accra Central is a busy community with a high demand for commercial properties. It is highly concentrated with local businesses with the majority operating in the wholesale and retail space, thereby, making it the go-to place for vendors from within and without Accra.

In recent years, many Chinese business owners have occupied  quite a number of commercial buildings mainly for distribution of goods on a large scale to locals.

LAPAZ

Lapaz is cosmopolitan and considered both residential and commercial. With many commercial properties along the streets of Lapaz, it is also known among many Ghanaians as a very busy commercial area with second hand goods and equipment. Many local businesses such as electronic shops, cosmetic shops, hardware stores, boutiques, automobile repair shops and banks are only a few of commercial establishments located within Lapaz.

As much as situating your business in these neighbourhoods may strengthen your position within your market and positively affect your company and its success, identifying your company’s audience/niche before settling on which neighbourhood to establish the business is fundamental.

For instance, online marketplaces such as Meqasa may thrive regardless of their location. However, an import/export company is likely to incur some losses from expenses such as the cost of fuelling goods from and to the harbour if the company is situated far off in a place such as Adenta or Oyarifa.

Finding the suitable commercial property for your business once you settle on the right neighbourhood can be a hustle to juggle but hopping on meqasa.com is likely to provide you with a long list of viable options and take the stress away.