Nairobi Skyline Set to Soar

The Nairobi County Government is now considering enacting a long-overdue zoning policy that may allow buildings in the Central Business District (CBD), Upper Hill, and other key commercial areas to rise as high as 75 floors.

This will be achieved through land-use regulations, zoning guidelines, spatial plans, and Local Physical Development Plans (LPDPs) to accommodate the city’s rapid 4% annual population growth, which continues to pressure the real estate sector to provide sustainable housing solutions.

Under the proposed plan, other areas such as Riverside, Parklands, and Ngara West will have a height limit of 20 floors, while Muthangari, Kileleshwa, and Kilimani will be restricted to 15 floors. For residential zones, Umoja, Kayole, and Komarock will have an eight-story cap, while Mathare, Dandora, and Korogocho will be limited to five floors. In Kariokor, Mlango Kubwa, and Eastleigh, mixed-use developments will be permitted up to 25 stories.

Similarly, areas in Eastlands—including Jacaranda, Sosian Estate, Nasra Gardens, Harambee NCC, Rabai Road Estate, Utawala, Ruai, and Kamulu—will not permit high-rise developments.

Sakaja emphasized that Nairobi’s zoning policy has not been updated for nearly two decades, making this revision long overdue. The last zoning policy was implemented in 2006.

“If approved, the new policy will redefine Nairobi’s skyline, aligning it with global cities known for their towering skyscrapers while balancing urban development with community needs,” he added