Shola Market

Shola Market (Shola Gebeya) is one of the largest open markets in Addis Ababa. It is in Yeka, near Megenagna, in the east of the city. Thousands of traders sell food and other goods here. Many families from Megenagna, Kotebe, CMC and Summit buy their holiday food at Shola.

What each section sells

• Butter: the butter quarter sells cooking butter by the kilo. It is the first stop for many people before a holiday.
• Chickens: the stalls west of the butter quarter sell live chickens. Traders bring them from Wollo, in the Amhara region.
• Grain, pulses and spices: sacks of lentils, beans, peas and ground spices, sold by the kilo.
• Vegetables and eggs: onions, tomatoes, potatoes, greens and eggs.
• Clothes: cloth, traditional white dresses, modern clothes and shoes.
• Household goods: woven baskets, clay coffee pots, incense burners, carpets and kitchen goods.

Best time to go

The market is open every day from 7:00 to 21:30. Go in the morning, when the fresh food is new and the lanes are less full. The days before Christmas, Easter and the Ethiopian New Year are the busy days. Prices of butter, chickens and onions rise before each holiday.

Prices

In January 2023 a kilo of butter cost ETB 850 at Shola. A chicken cost ETB 750 to 1,100 and a kilo of onions cost up to ETB 28. Prices change from season to season, so ask at more than one stall.

History

A fire started in a boutique on a Monday night in early January 2023. It spread to other parts of the market and destroyed shops in the butter quarter. The market kept trading for the Christmas holiday that week.

Getting there

Minibuses from Megenagna, Arat Kilo and Kazanchis stop at Shola. The car park and the entrance have wheelchair access, but parking fills early. A taxi is easier on a holiday.

Tips

Bring cash in small notes. Bring your own bags for grain and vegetables. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket in the narrow lanes.