Top 10 ongoing mega projects in Kenya

Kenya is among the leading leading construction hub in Sub Saharan Africa. BMI Research shows that mega construction projects in Kenya will help boost growth of the country’s construction industry by 8.7% from 2017 and remain steady up until 2026.

The following are the top ongoing mega projects in Kenya

Konza Technology City-Kenya

Konza Technology City is one of the top ongoing mega projects in Kenya. The smart city project is coming up in the Eastern part of the country. The project is part of the country’s Vision 2030 blueprint and expected to generate about 17,000 direct high-value jobs, and a further 68,000 indirect jobs once completed.

The project which is located 64 kilometres south of the capital Nairobi, is modelled around the US Silicon Valley hence the moniker “African Silicon Savanna”. It targets business process outsourcing, software development, data centres, disaster recovery centres, call centres, light manufacturing industries, and research institutions. The projects cost is US $14.5bn.

The LAPSSET Corridor Program

The LAPSSET Corridor Program is Eastern Africa’s largest and most ambitious infrastructure project bringing together Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan. This mega project consists of seven key infrastructure projects and its total cost is approximated to be over US $13bn.

Northlands City

It is also one of the top ongoing mega projects in Kenya and lies around 15km from the Nairobi city center. The mixed-use development scheme lies on an 11,576-acre tract in Ruiru. The scheme is wholly owned by the Kenyatta family. The fourth quarter of the project kicked off in 2018 and will see the connection of plots to roads, electricity, sewerage, water and internet. The whole development will be carried out in four phases which will span in over 50 years. It is estimated to cost approximately Sh500 billion.

Tatu City

Tatu City is over Sh220 billion, 5,000-acre, new city with schools, medical clinics, homes, offices, a shopping district, nature areas, a sport & entertainment complex and manufacturing spaces for over 250,000 residents and thousands of day visitors. Businesses and schools are already open at Tatu City as well as a range of homes.

The Mombasa Gate Bridge (MGB)

The Mombasa Gate Bridge (MGB) Construction Project is currently being developed by the Government of the Republic of Kenya (GoK) in collaboration with the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) and with support from the Government of Japan through JICA. Spanning a distance of 13.2 kilometers, the project encompasses the construction of approach roads and a channel crossing bridge with a width of 500-600 meters, accommodating busy vessel navigation. The estimated cost of the project ranges from USD 700 to 900 million.

A cable-stayed bridge will be erected as part of this development, providing support for four traffic lanes. This bridge will reach a height of 69 meters at its midpoint, allowing ships to pass underneath as they enter and exit the Kilindini harbor. The primary objective of the Mombasa Gate Bridge is to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance transportation and logistics efficiency in the Mombasa area, which serves as the gateway to East Africa.

By establishing a large-scale cable-stayed bridge connecting Mombasa Island and the South Mainland of Likoni, the project aims to improve local development and foster regional economic activities. It aligns with the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 9, which emphasizes the construction of resilient infrastructure, promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and the encouragement of innovation.

Once the bridge is completed, the temporary floating bridge that was opened in December 2020 at Likoni to ease traffic will be dismantled. Construction of the Mombasa Gate Bridge is anticipated to commence in June 2023 and is projected to last for a duration of three to four years.

Nairobi – Mombasa Highway expansion project (Kenya)

The two-lane Nairobi-Mombasa Highway is being converted into a dual carriageway to address the increasing traffic congestion between Kenya’s capital city Nairobi and the country’s major port city Mombasa. An estimated 95% of cargo from the sea Port of Mombasa is transported via the Nairobi-Mombasa motorway. The project is expected to cost US $3bn.

Nairobi Expressway

This is a 27km under construction highway, constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

It starts from Mlolongo, linking JKIA to the CBD, extending through Waiyaki Way to Westlands. CRBC is constructing the road on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis, with a concession period of 30 years and three years of construction. The over US $560m road scheme is the first major project in the Kenya to be developed through a PPP model and will complete in 2022.

Read also: Top 15 largest construction projects in the world

Mombasa port expansion

Pinnacle Towers

Spearheaded by two large Dubai-based investors, Hass Petroleum and White Lotus the project is located at Upper hill a fast growing financial hub in Nairobi.

The 900-feet twin Pinnacle Towers will have 70 floors including a 45-floor Hilton Hotel, 20 floors of offices, 200 residential houses, 3-floor basement parking, gaming zone, 3-floor luxury mall, helipad and Africa’s highest viewing deck. Total cost of the project is slated to be US $200m.

Kenol-Isiolo Road

Plans for the dual carriageway got a great boost in July 2020 when the Sh16 billion Kenol-Marua part of the road scheme started.

The 219km highway is set to be developed in two phases: Kenol-Marua (84km) and then Marua-Isiolo (135km). The whole project anticipated for completion by December 2023.