Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The United Nations has begun a major expansion of its Nairobi office, inaugurating new office buildings and starting construction on a conference facility. Approved by the UN General Assembly, this $340 million project is the largest investment by the UN Secretariat in Africa in its 80-year history, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Guterres noted that the expansion demonstrates the UN’s commitment to being closer to the people it serves and addressing global challenges directly in affected regions. The conference facilities at the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON) will significantly increase capacity—from 2,000 to 9,000 participants—with new assembly and meeting spaces under development.
He described Nairobi as a pillar of the UN’s presence in Africa and the Global South, not just a satellite or outpost. Since the 1970s, when the UN established its Environment and Human Settlements Programmes at Gigiri, the complex has grown into one of the largest UN operational hubs, now hosting more than 70 UN offices and thousands of staff.
The newly inaugurated office buildings are UNON’s first net-zero facilities, powered year-round by on-site solar energy. Additional renewable energy installations linked to the conference expansion aim to bring the complex close to energy neutrality by 2030. Sustainability initiatives include planting nearly 6,000 indigenous trees and integrating universal accessibility features throughout the campus.
Guterres also recognized Kenya’s long-standing support, highlighting that the Gigiri campus is on land donated by the Kenyan Government, underscoring the generosity and hospitality enabling the complex.