NSSF Revives Plans for 1,000-Acre Mixed-Use City in Mavoko
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Kenya’s National Social Security Fund is reviving a long-delayed plan to transform 1,000 acres in Mavoko into a mixed-use urban centre. The proposed development could include homes, commercial space, light industry, warehouses and hospitality facilities.
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has revived plans to transform approximately 1,000 acres of land in Katani, Mavoko, Machakos County, into a major mixed-use urban development designed to serve as a decentralised live-work-play hub for Nairobi.
The pension fund has invited developers to submit proposals covering a feasibility study, master plan, infrastructure development and a pilot phase under an engineering, procurement, construction and finance (EPC+F) arrangement. The tender was opened in June and is scheduled to close on August 18, 2026.
The proposed city could incorporate multiple property sectors, including residential and commercial developments, light industrial facilities, institutional uses, specialised warehouses and hospitality projects. NSSF says the final scope and cost of the project will be determined through the ongoing procurement process.
The land has been at the centre of several development proposals over the past 15 years. In 2012, NSSF proposed building 30,000 housing units on the site as a Vision 2030 flagship project. That proposal was cancelled the following year. A second plan announced in 2015 sought to develop 60,000 low-cost homes, but the proposal faced opposition from trade unions over the procurement process and concerns about the fund's ability to finance its share of the development.
The value of the underlying land has also increased significantly. HassConsult data cited by Business Daily puts the current price of land in the wider Syokimau area at approximately KSh39.4 million per acre, compared with KSh17.2 million in 2015. On that basis, the 1,000-acre property could be worth more than KSh39 billion at current market rates.
The renewed development push comes as NSSF's financial position has strengthened following increased member contributions. Its assets under management reached KSh623.8 billion in December 2025, up from KSh308.3 billion in June 2023. Property investments accounted for KSh38.08 billion, or 6.1% of total assets.
If successfully implemented, the Mavoko project could significantly reshape the property landscape along Nairobi's southeastern growth corridor. A large, master-planned development combining housing, employment, commercial services and supporting infrastructure could create a new economic centre while reducing pressure on Nairobi's established urban areas.
However, the project's long history of stalled proposals also means execution, transparent procurement and financial viability will be critical to turning the latest plan into a functioning city.
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