- NHC is expanding its national housing ambitions through new construction targets and strategic partnerships.
- Tenant purchase arrangements are opening alternative pathways to home ownership for ordinary Kenyans.
- Estate upgrades are highlighting the importance of reliable services and proper management in affordable housing.
Kenya’s ambition to narrow its widening housing deficit is gaining momentum, with the National Housing Corporation (NHC) positioning itself as a major driver of the country’s affordable housing transformation after delivering more than 50,000 homes over the decades.
The corporation is now targeting an additional 110,000 housing units through direct construction and strategic partnerships, signalling an expanded commitment to addressing the growing demand for decent, accessible and reasonably priced accommodation.
The ambitious target, outlined in the NHC’s 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, comes against the backdrop of a persistent national housing shortage, with Kenya requiring approximately 200,000 additional housing units annually.
This challenge is particularly pronounced in urban centres, where rapid population growth, rural-to-urban migration and the high cost of construction have pushed millions of households into informal settlements and inadequate accommodation.
For many Kenyans, home ownership has remained an elusive aspiration, with monthly rental payments consuming a substantial proportion of household incomes.
However, the NHC is seeking to change this reality by expanding opportunities for ordinary citizens to acquire homes through structured payment arrangements and collaborative housing developments.
The Tenant Purchase Scheme allows beneficiaries to occupy their homes while making payments towards eventual ownership over an agreed period, generally ranging from five to 18 years under the NHC arrangements.
This model offers an alternative to conventional property purchases, which often require substantial upfront capital.
The NHC’s contribution to the housing agenda is not confined to the capital.
Its developments and partnerships across different parts of the country demonstrate the potential of public housing institutions to support urban renewal, expand accommodation opportunities and stimulate economic activity.
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In Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, the Pioneer affordable housing project is among the developments associated with the government’s wider housing ambitions.
It is also undertaking developments in other counties, including Homa Bay, where an initial phase comprising 110 housing units was completed and handed over.
Meanwhile, construction is progressing at the Mathare Boma Yangu Phase II project, where approximately 4,800 housing units are being developed across 11 blocks.
This project is particularly significant because it seeks to expand access to formal housing among communities that have historically lived in overcrowded and poorly serviced settlements.
For residents such as Maureen Khaemba, a mother of three living in Mathare, affordable housing represents an opportunity to move beyond the limitations of informal settlement living.
Following a sensitisation exercise, she expressed interest in applying for a home after gaining a better understanding of the programme.
Still, the success of affordable housing cannot be measured exclusively by the number of units constructed.
Access to reliable water, sanitation, electricity, security, roads and other essential amenities remains equally important in determining whether residents enjoy decent living conditions.
The NHC’s interventions at Park Road Estate illustrate the importance of maintaining housing infrastructure after construction.
Improvements there include the construction of a caretaker’s residence, installation of a one-million-litre underground water tank and rehabilitation of three boreholes.
These interventions have strengthened water availability, improved estate management and enhanced security.
Residents’ association chairman Okebiro says the water situation has improved considerably, with previous challenges substantially reduced.
A similar experience has been reported at the NHC’s Langata Estate, which comprises 987 houses distributed across six phases.
Residents’ association chairman Felix Ochieng’ points to improvements in water supply, security and road connectivity, including the construction of a link road connecting the estate to Ngong Road.
The estate is also implementing closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance to strengthen security.
Such interventions demonstrate why sustainable housing development must extend beyond handing over buildings to include the long-term management of residential communities.
The corporation has a long institutional history dating back to 1953, when it was established as the Central Housing Board during the colonial administration.
Over the decades, it has accumulated experience in housing construction, property management and the development of residential infrastructure.
Its role has become increasingly significant under the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda, which identifies affordable housing as one of its key development pillars.
The constitutional foundation for the programme is Article 43(1)(b), which guarantees every Kenyan the right to accessible and adequate housing and reasonable standards of sanitation.
The passage of the Affordable Housing Act in March 2024 provided a legislative framework for implementing the government’s ambitious housing programme.
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NHC managing director David Mathu says the corporation had already demonstrated its commitment to the government’s housing vision before the legislation was enacted, including setting aside an initial Ksh1 billion towards the programme.
The corporation is also supporting the Affordable Housing Board in establishing and administering the Tenant Purchase Scheme, drawing on its institutional experience in housing finance and allocation.
Currently, NHC manages more than 3,000 housing units across the country, providing rental accommodation at rates the corporation describes as competitive compared with the private market.
Beyond residential developments, the corporation is increasingly using partnerships with public institutions and county governments to expand infrastructure and institutional facilities.
In February, it signed a Ksh90 million agreement with Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology for the construction of a modern lecture halls complex.
The proposed facility will comprise six lecture halls with a combined capacity of 1,400 students, alongside sanitary facilities.
Such collaborations illustrate how the corporation’s construction expertise can support broader public infrastructure development while strengthening its institutional partnerships.
As Kenya seeks to increase housing supply, construction technology and building standards are emerging as important considerations.
The NHC operates a major expanded polystyrene (EPS) manufacturing facility serving the East and Central African region.
EPS technology is used in the construction of building walls and slabs and offers opportunities to improve construction efficiency while reducing building costs.
The adoption of such technologies could become increasingly important as developers seek to balance affordability, speed of construction and structural integrity.
The corporation maintains that the government’s housing ambitions must not compromise construction standards, particularly amid growing public concerns over building collapses and violations of construction regulations.
By Hillary Muhalya
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