The United Nations on Monday launched construction of a nearly $340 million expansion of its Nairobi headquarters, marking one of the organisation’s largest infrastructure investments in Africa since its founding.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres joined Kenya's President William Ruto at the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON) in Gigiri district for the groundbreaking ceremony of a new conference complex and inauguration of modern office facilities aimed at significantly expanding the UN’s presence in Africa.
The project includes upgraded conference facilities valued at about $265.7 million and new climate-resilient office blocks worth approximately $66.2 million, positioning Nairobi among the UN’s most important operational hubs worldwide.
According to the UN, the expansion will increase the number of meeting rooms at the Nairobi complex from 14 to 30 and raise seating capacity from 2,000 to 9,000 delegates, including a new 1,600-seat Assembly Hall. The investment is expected to make Nairobi the UN’s third-largest global hub after New York and Geneva.
Africa's growing influence
Guterres described the project as a reflection of Africa’s growing influence within the UN and global diplomacy, saying the Nairobi headquarters is no longer viewed as a peripheral operation within the organisation.
“Nairobi is neither a satellite nor an outpost. It is a pillar – the only United Nations headquarters in Africa – and in the Global South,” he said during the ceremony.
The UN chief said the expansion also reflects a broader transformation in the organisation’s relationship with Africa.
“Africa is a driver of solutions, a source of innovation, and a voice of moral clarity in our shared pursuit of peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights,” Guterres said, adding that the expansion demonstrates the UN’s commitment to bringing the organisation “closer to the people and regions it serves.”
Kenya's role in global diplomacy
In a statement Monday, the Kenyan government said the project “strengthens Nairobi’s status as the only UN Headquarters in the Global South and reaffirms Kenya’s growing role in global diplomacy, multilateralism, and sustainable development.”
Officials said the new facilities are designed to improve accessibility, environmental sustainability and conference capacity while supporting Nairobi’s ambitions to become a leading diplomatic and humanitarian centre.
The UN office in Nairobi currently hosts more than 4,000 personnel and 88 UN offices, while nearly 6,000 UN staff are based in Kenya overall, according to UN figures.
The Gigiri complex sits on 140 acres (56.6 hectares) of land donated by Kenya to the UN, the largest land contribution made by any host country to the organisation.
During the ceremony, Kenya also reaffirmed plans to continue investing in infrastructure, environmental renewal, and security upgrades in Nairobi to support the city’s growing international presence.
