Yaya Centre, located along Argwings Kodhek Road, is one of the popular shopping malls in Nairobi.
The mall was founded in the 1980s and has over the years grown to become one of the leading shopping malls, housing over 100 shops and offices.
Previously owned by the Nicholas Biwott family, Yaya Centre’s ownership was in 2023 passed to the billionaire family of Rasik Kantaria in a deal that is estimated to be worth billions.
The Kantaria family has a long-standing history of entrepreneurial success in Kenya, with their first enterprise established in the country in 1896.
The family’s legacy in Kenya began when Kantaria’s grandfather migrated from India and settled in Limuru, where he operated a small shop with the dream of his getting his family out of poverty.
Through hard work, the small retail shop expanded into a successful sawmill and charcoal-selling enterprise. Kantaria’s grandfather would later relocate to Nairobi, where he established an auto spares shop.
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Following his grandfather’s footsteps, Kantaria entered the service industry, founding Prime Capital and Credit Finance Company, which eventually evolved into a successful commercial bank.
The family has since expanded its portfolio with investments in various sectors, including finance, real estate, hospitality, horticulture, and manufacturing, among others.
Besides Yaya Centre, the Kantaria Family reportedly has established banks in Malawi, Botswana, Zambia, and Mozambique.
The family has an aluminium factory in Mombasa and also founded the East African Building Society. Other investments include Leisure Lodge, which is one of the most exclusive hotels in the Coastal region.
Besides his entrepreneurial success, Rasik Kantaria is also known for his philanthropic work and is credited with transforming local education and healthcare.
His contributions include the Jaipur Foot Project, which has transformed the lives of over 30,000 handicapped individuals by providing them with rubber-based prosthetic legs, enabling them to lead normal lives.
He is a longstanding Rotarian and has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree by The United Graduate College & Seminary for his outstanding contribution to humanity.
The billionaire holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from London.
