Kingsway Stores opened its doors in 1948, courtesy of the United African Company (UAC), and quickly became the place to be. It was the first modern departmental store in British West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone. Many who shopped there describe it as an experience like no other. The rows of shelves were stocked with goodies from overseas. The aisles were cool and air-conditioned aisles, with a touch of Europe right into Lagos (and many other locations in the country). For families, a trip to Kingsway felt like stepping into a new reality—one where everything had a shine to it.

Being at Kingsway didn’t just mean you were going shopping but also that you were showing up to show out. This was where you’d find the rarest treats, from British canned goods to stylish fabrics that couldn’t be found anywhere else. And at the time when colonial rule was in its heyday, you could say this brought the average Nigeria a lot closer to the Western World.

QUALITY YOU COULD RELY ON

Back then, parents had a saying: “Ohun tí wọ́n fi n kè omo wa lója Kingsway,” which means “what you use to care for a child is in Kingsway.” Like I said before, it wasn’t just a store—it was where you got the good stuff.

From all accounts, it was one of the things that made you feel like you were taking care of your family right. Parents would casually drop the name Kingsway to remind you where the best of the best came from. And if you were lucky enough to get a snack there, like their famous meat pies or scotch eggs, you knew you were in for a treat.

A STORE OF MEMORIES

Many still talk about the best meat pies and sausages they ever had—yes, even better than what you can get now. “Where are those shops now? Those shops produced the best meat pies and sausages I have ever tasted in my life and probably would ever taste in my life,” Victor, who grew up in the 70s, fondly recalls.

Who could forget how the staff always greeted you with a smile or the clean and inviting atmosphere that made the place the symbol of affluence? For many, those trips to Kingsway are still among their fondest childhood memories.

DOMINANCE IN THE 1960s and 70s

When Kingsway Was King during the 1960s and 70s, Kingsway was at its peak. It wasn’t just a store; it was a social hub. Nigerians gathered at Kingsway to shop, eat, and socialize. “It was only at the Kingsway and Leventis stores that you got to see Santa during Christmas. They actually used to give nicer and more meaningful gifts then, compared to these days.”

Kingsway’s allure went beyond just its products. For many, it offered a taste of the Western world in many unusual ways. “It was like a small feeling of Europe,” recalled Frankfurt, describing the experience of riding a horse for the first time during one memorable Christmas. “We children used to go there just to ride on the staircases (escalators) too. There was always electricity (and when I think about these memories), I pity the youth nowadays. It is like they have nothing—no light, hope, or future!”.

For a generation that grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, Kingsway was a place where the modern met the magical—a brief escape from the realities of Nigeria’s shifting economy. And it kind of sucks that we don’t have anything like that anymore.

Kingsway’s success can be attributed to its strategic positioning and the support of UAC’s extensive network in West Africa. UAC was able to leverage its resources to secure prime real estate in major cities and maintain a steady supply chain that kept the shelves stocked with desirable products. This supply chain included imported luxury items and, over time, an increasing amount of locally sourced goods, making Kingsway a pioneer in merging foreign and local consumer cultures. It had around 13 stores at its peak, employing about 1,000 people—a retail empire by any standard at the time.

THE FALL OF KINGSWAY

Kingsway was the place to be—until it wasn’t. In the 1980s, the good vibes hit a brick wall. Oil prices crashed, and Nigeria’s once-thriving economy hit a rough patch. Between 1981 and 1984, it went from boom to bust, shrinking faster than jeans in hot water. Suddenly, Nigerians tightened their belts, which meant less shopping at their favourite store. Things got even messier in 1986 with the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP). It came with new import restrictions aimed at boosting local production, but it left Kingsway—a store known for its imported goodies—struggling to keep up with what customers wanted. Kingsway couldn’t stock those unique products that had once made it special.

THE VANISHING MIDDLE CLASS

As the economy shifted, so did the fortunes of everyday Nigerians. The middle class—Kingsway’s bread and butter—started to shrink. With the economy taking a nosedive, people just couldn’t spend like they used to. And when every naira counts, buying imported goods from Kingsway seemed less like a treat and more like a stretch. The once-loyal customers turned to local markets and cheaper options.

To their credit, Kingsway did try to pivot to local goods, but the magic just wasn’t there. Kingsway’s glamour began to fade, and by the end of the 1980s, it was time to turn off the lights for good.

THE AFTERMATH

By the end of the 1980s, Kingsway had closed most of its stores. Its collapse left a void in Nigeria’s retail space. But nature abhors a vacuum, and new players emerged to fill the gap. Local entrepreneurs and multinational investors saw the potential of modern retail in Nigeria. In the years that followed, malls like The Palms in Lagos began to spring up, offering a new shopping experience that combined the convenience of department stores with the atmosphere of leisure destinations. These malls became the new social hubs, much like Kingsway once was.

LESSON LEARNED FROM LEGACY

Take a walk through one of Lagos’ modern malls today, and you might catch a glimpse of what Kingsway once was—a place where you could splurge on quality items, grab a bite, or even catch the latest flick. But here’s the twist: today’s malls have learned from Kingsway’s missteps. They’ve figured out how to keep things fresh and flexible, adapting to Nigeria’s ever-changing economy. Instead of relying on just one type of product, they’ve packed in a mix of local and international brands, appealing to every shopper. This ability to adapt is exactly why they’re thriving today, while Kingsway’s glory days are now just a memory.

Yet, even with all the shiny new shopping centres, Kingsway has a special place in people’s hearts. Ask anyone who experienced its peak, and they’ll tell you all about its imported treasures. Those moments have become a nostalgic benchmark—stories of how Kingsway once gave Nigerians a little taste of Europe, right in the heart of post-colonial Lagos.

For many Nigerians who remember Kingsway’s heyday, the modern malls might seem like a world apart. Still, they are deeply connected—an evolution that started with the rise and fall of Nigeria’s first retail giant.