Nairobi — The United Nations is making one of its largest-ever infrastructure investments in Africa since its inception besides peacekeeping, with Secretary-General António Guterres expected in Kenya next week to oversee a nearly USD 340 million expansion of its Nairobi headquarters.
The Secretary-General will join President William Ruto on Monday, at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) for the groundbreaking of a major new conference facility and inauguration of modern office buildings, significantly expanding the UN’s operational footprint in Africa.
Approved by Member States through the General Assembly, the investment will transform Nairobi into one of the UN’s most significant global hubs.
UN Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Zainab Hawa Bangura, described the move as a “defining moment for the United Nations in Africa.”
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“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,” Bangura said.
The investment includes the now completed replacement of aging office buildings dating back to the 1970s with modern, climate-resilient, and fully accessible facilities, while reducing long-term operational costs and improving efficiency, supporting the accommodation of rising staff numbers.
UNON sasy, the Nairobi expansion reflects a broader shift: bringing multilateral decision-making closer to the regions most affected by global challenges.
It includes new modern, permanent, and climate-resilient office blocks (US$ 66.2 million) and new upgraded conferencing facilities (US$ 265.7 million) that will increase the number of meeting rooms from 14 to 30, and seating capacity from 2,000 to 9,000 delegates, including a 1,600-seat Assembly Hall, positioning UNON as the third largest UN global hub after New York and Geneva, with Vienna the fourth.
In addition, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has invested US$ 11.2 million in new office blocks at UNON.
As the only UN Secretariat headquarters in the Global South, UNON has seen a steady expansion of mandates, personnel, and global functions, with more than 4,000 personnel and 88 UN offices currently based at the Gigiri complex.
Overall, there are almost 6,000 UN personnel in Kenya and approximately 10,000 dependents from Kenya and neighboring countries.
The UN’s presence in Nairobi is rooted in Kenya’s longstanding support for multilateralism.
The UN Gigiri Complex sits on 140 acres of land donated by the Government of Kenya, the largest land contribution made by any host country to the Organization.
Today, Nairobi hosts one of the most complex UN ecosystems globally, supporting operations across more than 160 countries and serving as a hub for climate action, development, and humanitarian coordination.
During his visit, the Secretary-General will also engage in high-level discussions with Kenya’s leadership and participate in regional dialogues, including the Africa Forward Summit, reinforcing the United Nations’ commitment to advancing peace, sustainable development, and climate action across Africa.
The UN Gigiri Complex, spanning 140 acres, was made possible through Kenya’s generosity.
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In 1972, the Government of Kenya donated 100 acres to establish the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In 1975, an additional 40 acres were donated to support the establishment of UN-Habitat. UNEP and UN-Habitat are the only UN entity headquarters in the Global South.
UNICEF, UNFPA and UN Women have moved some of their global operations to Nairobi, while their headquarters remain in New York.
UNON was created in 1996 to provide service to UNEP and UN-Habitat, and since then has expanded its client and service portfolio. Service delivery is UNON’s core mandate.
UNON is currently providing administrative services (human resources, financial management, and procurement support) globally to UNEP, UN-Habitat, the UN Resident Coordinator System and other UN offices in 166 countries.
