President William Ruto and United Nations Secretary General António Guterres will on Monday inaugurate the United Nations’ Nairobi Expansion Project.

The Gigiri project, approved by the United Nations member states in December 2023, would cost $340 million (nearly Ksh.43.8 billion).

Moreover, the project includes a major upgrade of the conference facilities at UNON, which will cost $265.6 million (nearly Ksh.34.3 billion) and an upgrade of office blocks to the tune of USD74.5million (nearly Ksh.9.6 billion).

Groundbreaking

On Monday, Ruto and Guterres will break ground for the new conference facility and inaugurate the completed modern office buildings at the UN headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi.

In Nairobi, Guterres will also engage in high-level discussions with Kenya’s leadership and participate in regional dialogues, including the Africa Forward Summit, co-hosted by Kenya and France.

Also, the General Assembly approved the expansion in 2023. It seeks to transform Nairobi into one of the UN’s most significant global hubs.

Significance of the Project

UN Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Mrs Zainab Hawa Bangura, has termed the project a defining moment for the United Nations in Africa.

“This investment aligns our presence with where global challenges and solutions, are increasingly concentrated. Nairobi is not only a host city; it is a strategic centre for delivering the United Nations’ work in the 21st century,” she said ahead of the Secretary General’s Nairobi visit.

The UN General Assembly, under resolution 78/253, gave a nod to transformations to enable infrastructure development at the UNON complex in Gigiri.

The Nairobi expansion has seen agencies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and UN Women relocate a number of their global operations to Nairobi.

Additionally, this project reinstates Nairobi’s position as an administrative hub. The capital holds administrative offices such as the State House and Bunge Towers.

UN Headquarters to Remain in New York

However, the headquarters of these agencies will remain in New York

Currently, there are 6000 UN personnel in Kenya, with 5,000 based within the UNON complex in Gigiri working under 80 offices. The personnel run UN operations for Somalia, Sudan, peacekeeping and Special Political Missions.

Capacity

The UN states that the Conference Facility Project (CFP) aims to enhance Nairobi’s ability to host large, high-level global meetings, increasing meeting capacity from the current 2,000 to 9,000 participants. 16 more meeting rooms will be constructed to add to the existing 14, and an Assembly Hall with a capacity for 1600 participants will be constructed.

Project Factsheet

Location: Gigiri UN Complex (140 acres), Nairobi, Kenya

Total Investment: Approximately USD 340 million (Sh44.2 billion).

Primary Objective: To transform Nairobi into a premier global hub for multilateralism, replacing aging 1970s structures with modern, climate-resilient, and fully accessible facilities.

Conference Facilities Project (CFP)

• Budget: USD 265.7 million.
• Capacity Increase: From 2,000 delegates to 9,000 delegates.
• Meeting Rooms: Increasing from 14 to 30 modern conference rooms.
• New Assembly Hall: A signature 1,600-seat hall, placing UNON on par with UN headquarters in New York and Geneva.
• Specialized Centers: Includes a new dedicated visitors’ center, media center, and smart meeting services.
• Timeline: Construction phase begins in late 2026, with substantial completion expected by September 2029 and finalization in 2030.

Office Expansion and Replacement

• Budget: USD 66.2 million (plus an additional USD 11.2 million invested by UNHCR).
• Scope: Replacement of 10 aging prefabricated office blocks (dating back to the 1970s) with 6 new permanent, high-efficiency office buildings.
• Status: As of early 2026, the replacement of the original office blocks has been completed and inaugurated.

Timeline and Milestones

• 2023: Project approved by the UN General Assembly (Resolution 78/253).
• 2025 (July): Inauguration of new office blocks by President William Ruto.
• 2026 (May): Groundbreaking ceremony for the new Conference Facility led by Secretary-General António Guterres.
• 2026 (Late): Main construction phase for the conference facilities commences.
• 2030: Final project completion and full operational launch of the expanded hub.