Nairobi in 2035 could be barely recognisable compared with the cabro-paved streets many city residents move through today.
The skyline is expected to reach further west and north, trains may replace thousands of daily car trips into the central business district, and buses operating in dedicated lanes could finally challenge the matatu’s dominance.
United Nations projections indicate that Nairobi’s population is set to rise to about 7.2 million by 2035, from roughly 5.7 million in 2025.
That growth means the city will need housing, employment, transport, water, sewerage and public services for an extra 1.5 million residents within a decade, putting heavy pressure on planners to keep infrastructure in step with expansion.
Central to the change is Nairobi Railway City, a 425-acre redevelopment meant to replace the ageing central railway station with a modern transport interchange linking commuter rail, Bus Rapid Transit, the Standard Gauge Railway and pedestrian routes.
Plans indicate that government planners see the project not only as a transport initiative but also as a catalyst for reshaping the central business district into a mixed-use commercial and residential hub.
Once completed, the new railway station is expected to serve up to 400,000 passengers a day by 2030 before growing to around 600,000 daily users by 2045.
Its nine platforms, public squares, retail areas and improved pedestrian links are designed to reduce Nairobi’s reliance on private vehicles and ease congestion that has long frustrated commuters and businesses.
The expanded commuter rail network is expected to connect some of Nairobi’s fastest-growing estates and satellite towns directly to the city centre through electrified rail.
Existing corridors serving Ruiru, Kahawa, Githurai, Mwiki, Dandora, Makadara, Donholm, Pipeline, Embakasi Village, Imara Daima, Syokimau, Kibera, Lenana, Dagoretti and Kikuyu will be modernised, while future phases are planned to extend services to Thika, Limuru, Lukenya, Ngong, Ongata Rongai, Kiserian, Kangemi, Kiambu and Ruai.
The programme will also allow commuters from Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado counties to connect smoothly with buses and the Bus Rapid Transit system at the new central transport hub.
Several Bus Rapid Transit corridors, commuter rail upgrades and new interchange facilities are planned to create an integrated public transport network similar to those in major cities such as New York and Tokyo.
Instead of treating buses, trains and walking as separate transport options, planners envision them operating as one connected system able to move tens of thousands of passengers every hour.
Roads will continue to expand, but the emphasis is shifting increasingly toward smarter mobility rather than simply laying more tarmac.
Nairobi is expected to introduce intelligent traffic-management systems with synchronised traffic lights, digital monitoring, electronic enforcement and real-time traffic control aimed at reducing gridlock that currently costs the economy billions of shillings each year.
Whole neighbourhoods are expected to rise along transport corridors, encouraging residents to live closer to rail stations and Bus Rapid Transit routes instead of depending on long daily commutes.
Rather than concentrating activity only in the traditional CBD, new commercial centres are expected to gain strength in areas such as Westlands, Upper Hill, Gigiri and around the planned Airport City at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Offices, hotels, logistics parks and technology hubs are likely to spread employment across several business districts rather than a single city centre.
The airport itself has been earmarked for one of the country’s largest infrastructure upgrades. According to Transport CS Davis Chirchir, the project could allow Kenyans to use the new airport as early as 2029.
Plans include a new passenger terminal, expanded cargo facilities and an Airport City designed to turn JKIA into a regional aviation and logistics hub serving East and Central Africa.
If delivered, the development could significantly strengthen trade, tourism and foreign investment while supporting Nairobi’s ambition to become a continental business gateway.
Long-neglected trunk sewer lines, wastewater treatment infrastructure and flood mitigation projects are also expected to be completed by January 2027.
Success would improve sanitation and unlock valuable riverfront land for recreation, commercial development and housing.
New treatment plants, transmission pipelines and distribution upgrades are intended to increase supply to households and businesses, although experts warn that sustained investment will be needed if Nairobi is to avoid recurring shortages as more residents settle in the capital.
More CCTV surveillance, digital public services, smart street lighting and growing data centre investment are expected to reinforce Nairobi’s position as East Africa’s technology capital.
Together with expanding fibre connectivity, these developments could support new industries centred on artificial intelligence, cloud computing and financial technology.