Nairobi – The United Nations will undertake one of its largest infrastructure projects in Africa, with a US$340 million expansion of its Nairobi headquarters slated to begin next week. Secretary‑General António Guterres is expected in Kenya on Monday to attend the groundbreaking of a new conference facility and the inauguration of modern office buildings at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).
The expansion, approved by the General Assembly, will replace ageing structures from the 1970s with climate‑resilient, fully accessible facilities. The project includes US$66.2 million for new office blocks and US$265.7 million for upgraded conference venues, raising the number of meeting rooms from 14 to 30 and increasing seating capacity from 2,000 to 9,000 delegates. A 1,600‑seat Assembly Hall will position UNON as the third‑largest UN hub after New York and Geneva, with Vienna ranking fourth.
UN Under‑Secretary‑General and Director‑General of UNON Zainab Hawa Bangura called the development “a defining moment for the United Nations in Africa.” She noted that the investment aligns the UN’s presence with the regions where global challenges and solutions are increasingly concentrated, making Nairobi a strategic centre for 21st‑century UN work.
The expansion reflects a broader shift to bring multilateral decision‑making closer to the communities most affected by climate change, conflict and development needs. In addition to the core UNON upgrade, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is contributing US$11.2 million for further office space at the Gigiri complex.
UNON, the only UN Secretariat headquarters in the Global South, now hosts more than 4,000 staff and 88 UN agencies on a 140‑acre site donated by the Kenyan government. Overall, nearly 6,000 UN personnel operate in Kenya, with an estimated 10,000 dependents from Kenya and neighboring countries. The complex supports operations in over 160 nations and serves as a hub for climate action, development programmes and humanitarian coordination.
Kenya’s long‑standing support for multilateralism underpins the UN’s presence in Nairobi. The land on which the Gigiri complex sits was donated in two stages: 100 acres in 1972 for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and an additional 40 acres in 1975 for UN‑Habitat, making both agencies the only UN entity headquarters located in the Global South. Since its establishment in 1996, UNON has expanded its service portfolio, providing administrative, human‑resource, financial and procurement support to UNEP, UN‑Habitat, the UN Resident Coordinator System and other UN offices in 166 countries.
During his visit, Secretary‑General Guterres will meet President William Ruto and Kenyan officials, and participate in regional dialogues including the Africa Forward Summit. The engagements are intended to reinforce the UN’s commitment to peace, sustainable development and climate action across the continent.
