What is the average Class A rent in Nairobi?

Around 1300 KES/sqft/yr ($10 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Westlands command 20–40% above that.

How many months of rent-free are normal in Nairobi?

6 months on a 5-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.

Are rents rising or falling in Nairobi?

The Nairobi Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 21.4%, which sets the negotiating context.

Headline Class A rent in Nairobi is around 1300 KES/sqft/yr ($10 USD), with 6 months of typical rent-free on a 5-year term.

Headline Class A rent: 1300 KES/sqft/yr ($10 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Westlands) push to roughly KSh1,500/sqm/mo · ≈ $13 PSF/yr USD.
Typical concessions on a 5-year deal: 6 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 21.4% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Nairobi Class A office rents and incentives

Headline Class A rent in Nairobi is around 1300 KES/sqft/yr ($10 USD), with 6 months of typical rent-free on a 5-year term.

TL;DR

Headline Class A rent: 1300 KES/sqft/yr ($10 USD).
Trophy submarket rents (Westlands) push to roughly KSh1,500/sqm/mo · ≈ $13 PSF/yr USD.
Typical concessions on a 5-year deal: 6 months free rent.
Vacancy stands at 21.4% — market trend is flat.
Use effective rent (face minus PV of concessions), not headline, to compare deals.

Headline rent vs. effective rent

Asking rents in Nairobi are quoted in KES per sqft per year. Across the broad Class A index the figure is 1300, but the trophy tier in Westlands reaches roughly KSh1,500/sqm/mo · ≈ $13 PSF/yr USD. Always discount headline rent by the present value of free rent and fit-out-capex">tenant improvement allowance to land on effective rent — the only number that compares cleanly across deals.

Rent-free and TI

Standard Nairobi concessions on a 5-year Class A lease run to 6 months of base-rent abatement. Trophy lease-ups can push rent-free 25–40% above that benchmark. Local cost-of-occupancy is also shaped by tax — 30% Kenyan corporate income tax. EPZ (Export Processing Zone) and SEZ incentives available. Significant withholding taxes on cross-border payments.

Where rents land by submarket

Westlands sits at the top end (~KSh1,500/sqm/mo · ≈ $13 PSF/yr USD). Gigiri (UN Corridor) clears around KSh1,100/sqm/mo · ≈ $9.57 PSF/yr USD as the prime tier. Mombasa Road & JKIA Corridor represents the value end at ~KSh700/sqm/mo · ≈ $6.09 PSF/yr USD. The full submarket map is on the Nairobi city page.

Key facts

city	Nairobi
country	Kenya
region	EMEA
classARentLocal	1300 KES/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$10/sqft/yr
vacancy	21.4%
typicalLeaseYears	5
typicalRentFreeMonths	6
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	9.8%
trophyRent	KSh1,500/sqm/mo · ≈ $13 PSF/yr USD
primeRent	KSh1,100/sqm/mo · ≈ $9.57 PSF/yr USD

Frequently asked questions

What is the average Class A rent in Nairobi?: Around 1300 KES/sqft/yr ($10 USD) across the broader Class A index. Trophy submarkets like Westlands command 20–40% above that.
How many months of rent-free are normal in Nairobi?: 6 months on a 5-year deal is the standard benchmark. Lease-up product or tenants with strong covenant strength can push higher.
Are rents rising or falling in Nairobi?: The Nairobi Class A market is currently flat. Vacancy is 21.4%, which sets the negotiating context.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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