In a landmark move, the United Nations has announced plans to establish three new global offices in Nairobi by the end of 2026, further elevating the city’s status as a major UN hub.
The incoming headquarters for UN Women, UNICEF, and UNFPA will join the already established UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat at the UN complex in Gigiri.
This expansion places Nairobi among only four cities globally—alongside New York, Geneva, and Vienna—that host multiple UN headquarters. The relocation forms part of the UN@80 reform agenda, which aims to decentralize operations from high-cost cities to more affordable, strategically located regions.
According to sources quoted by DevelopmentAid, office infrastructure at the Gigiri complex has already been completed.
“Yes, there are plans to establish the three offices. The offices are ready,” a UN source confirmed, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Despite this progress, the number of staff to be relocated remains undecided. A source from UNICEF Kenya indicated that staff had yet to receive formal communication.
“These discussions are currently taking place among top-level executives. As of now, we have not been informed which departments might move or when,” the source said.
On the other hand, UNFPA is said to be further ahead in the process, with reports suggesting up to 25 percent of its global staff will be moved to Nairobi in 2025.
The Government of Kenya has embraced the relocation. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi confirmed the move in February 2025 after talks with Philemon Yang, President of the 79th UN General Assembly.
At a press briefing, Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), said Nairobi is rapidly emerging as the fastest-growing UN duty station.
“When UNEP was founded in 1973, there were just 300 staff. Today, we have over 6,500 staff and 11,000 dependents,” she said, adding that 86 UN offices now operate in the city—73 of them within the Gigiri complex.
Beyond symbolism, the move is expected to significantly impact Kenya’s job market and the wider development sector.
According to Business Daily, the expansion will bring at least 800 new staff to Nairobi and create thousands of job opportunities. For professionals in development, governance, health, gender, and education, this represents a rare career window.
DevelopmentAid, a global platform for development professionals, is offering real-time access to UN job openings and consultant tenders across various agencies, many of which will be centered in Nairobi.
The shift is being backed by a US$340 million investment into Nairobi’s UN complex.
A centerpiece of the upgrade will be a new 9,000-seat Assembly Hall—the first UN General Assembly hall to be constructed outside New York since 1949.
Additionally, 30 new high-tech conference rooms are planned, positioning Nairobi among the most advanced UN hubs globally, on par with Geneva and New York.
