Insights on the Nairobi-Mombasa Usahihi Expressway Construction Plan
The Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway, a $3.6 billion initiative aimed at modernizing Kenya's busiest transport corridor, has experienced a rollercoaster of events since its inception.
In September 2017, US contractor Bechtel Corp was selected under an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model to design and build the 473 km expressway. However, the project stalled due to funding issues and pushback against the EPC model. The Treasury resisted a publicly funded approach, favoring a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) tolled model. Bechtel rejected this model, citing that it would inflate costs to about Sh1.5 trillion, and subsequently, Bechtel pulled out in 2018.
The construction contract was then awarded to the Korean Overseas Infrastructure and Urban Development Corporation Africa (KIND) in 2022, but updates about KIND's involvement were scarce. The project saw a revival under the PPP model in May 2024 with Everstrong Capital, an American-based private equity infrastructure firm, taking over.
However, in July 2025, the PPP Committee of Kenya's National Treasury Economic Planning Department rejected Everstrong Capital’s proposal, determining it did not meet evaluation criteria under the PPP Act, 2021, leading to the termination of the project as proposed. Despite the government's position, Everstrong Capital, through Usahihi Expressway Limited, clarified that the project was still under active review and had not been cancelled, emphasizing ongoing compliance with Kenya’s PPP Act and submission of a revised feasibility study aligned with technical and financial requirements.
The collapse of the project was primarily linked to funding challenges and the withdrawal of technical and financial partner Mota-Engil from the joint venture, weakening the project’s capacity and causing disintegration.
As of August 2025, the government has halted the project and directed Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to restructure it into an expansion of the existing Nairobi-Mombasa highway rather than constructing a separate expressway.
The debate over the project underscores the need for modern, reliable infrastructure on Kenya's busiest transport corridor to match its role as the backbone of regional trade and economic growth. The fate of the Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway remains uncertain, with the project being caught between shifting government priorities and private sector determination. In August 2025, Everstrong Capital submitted an updated feasibility study report in response to feedback from the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee for the construction of the Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway.
References:
- The Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway: A timeline of the project's status changes
- Everstrong Capital takes over Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway project
- Everstrong Capital's Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway proposal rejected
- Government halts Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway project, directs KeNHA to restructure
- Causal factors for the failure of the Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway project
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