NSSF revives plan to build mixed-use city on 1,000-acre Mavoko land

A version of this article appeared on The Business Daily.

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has revived plans to develop its 1,000-acre landholding in Mavoko, Machakos County, into a master-planned mixed-use city.

The state-controlled pension fund called for proposals from private developers to carry out a feasibility study, design a comprehensive master plan, install primary infrastructure, and deliver an initial pilot phase.

Under the proposed structure, the project will execute through an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPCF) framework. This arrangement requires the selected development partner to secure funding and manage the design and construction of early physical works on the site.

The proposed urban development is expected to combine residential neighborhoods, commercial hubs, industrial zones, institutional facilities, and hospitality developments into a single integrated precinct.

NSSF first sought to develop the parcel in 2012 with a proposal for 30,000 housing units, but the procurement was cancelled in 2013. A subsequent proposal launched in 2015 to construct 60,000 low-cost houses on the property also failed to materialize.

Current valuations estimate the 1,000-acre tract at approximately Ksh39.4 billion based on prevailing land prices in the area.

The renewed development effort comes at a time when total NSSF assets have expanded to Ksh623.8 billion. Property investments currently account for Ksh38.08 billion, representing roughly 6.1 percent of the total investment portfolio.

The fund has not released an overall cost estimate for the entire multi-phase development. Bidders submitted technical and financial proposals as part of the initial competitive selection process.

The selected consortium will guide the project through environmental studies, spatial planning, and initial infrastructure construction before any large-scale building works begin on site.