Tatu City Unveils Sh7 Billion Towers Set to Become Tallest Buildings Outside Nairobi

Kiambu County is set to gain two high-rise towers after Tatu City unveiled plans for Jabali Towers, a project that would create the tallest buildings outside Nairobi.

The development will be located in Tatu Central’s emerging central business district in Ruiru. Regulatory filings put the project’s cost at about Sh7.09 billion, with the towers planned on a 9,518-square-metre site.

The taller tower will rise 136.8 metres across 30 floors, while the second will reach 99.1 metres and have 20 floors. If completed, the taller building would be the highest outside Nairobi.

The towers would remain below Nairobi’s Britam Tower in height. Nairobi currently has Kenya’s tallest buildings, including the 184-metre GTC Office Tower, the 163-metre UAP Old Mutual Tower and the 140-metre Times Tower. The capital’s growth in high-rise development has been driven partly by limited and increasingly expensive land, encouraging developers to build upwards on prime sites.

Jabali Towers reflects the expansion of investment from Nairobi into the wider metropolitan area. Tatu City is a 5,000-acre master-planned development established on former coffee estates and has attracted businesses and residents. More than 100 companies and 7,000 people are already based there, while its Special Economic Zone is valued at more than $3.5 billion.

The project is designed to fit within Tatu City’s masterplan, which promotes compact, high-density development and more efficient use of land. The towers will mainly provide residential accommodation, including studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. 

Proposed amenities include landscaped gardens, wellness facilities, a fitness centre, an infinity pool, co-working spaces and retail outlets. The development will combine residential, commercial and leisure facilities within the same complex.

Kenya’s development of high-rise buildings has faced challenges in the past. The Pinnacle project in Nairobi’s Upper Hill, which was planned as a 67-storey tower rising 320 metres, stalled despite its potential to become Africa’s tallest building.

Nairobi’s rapid vertical development has also led to disputes in established neighbourhoods such as Kileleshwa and Kilimani. Residents have challenged some high-rise projects over zoning, traffic congestion and pressure on infrastructure.