The operation launched by the Nairobi County Department of Revenue to recover land rates from over 2,000 defaulters is credited with helping the county government achieve its highest-ever revenue under Governor Johnson Sakaja in the 2024/25 financial year.
According to the data, land rates and the housing sector posted the highest collections compared to the previous financial year.
In the recent budgetary allocation tabled before the Nairobi County Assembly by Finance and Planning Executive Charles Kerich, the county recorded Sh13.8 billion in Own Source Revenue surpassing the Sh12.8 billion collected in the previous year.
Governor Sakaja lauded his administration's team for ensuring Nairobi posted its highest revenue figure since the onset of devolution. “This is a record since devolution and a strong Sh1 billion increase. With this momentum, we can aim even higher. It’s possible when we all do our part as government and as citizens,” said Governor Sakaja.
Among the leading contributors were land rates, parking fees, housing and water revenue among others.
Land rates alone brought in Sh3.28 billion, which, according to officials, was achieved without any waivers during the financial year.
County Chief Officer in charge of Revenue Collection, Tiras Njoroge, attributed the growth to aggressive collection drives and enforcement actions targeting land rates and rent defaulters.
“We cannot have a city of millions being sustained by the few who pay. Everyone must contribute. We are continuing enforcement on land rates, Unified Business Permits (UBP), NairobiPay, house rents and more,” said Mr Njoroge.
Chief Officer for the Housing Department, Lydia Mathia, said the department recorded a significant increase in house rent collections, reaching Sh800 million in the 2024/2025 financial year, the highest in over a decade.
She noted that this marks a sharp rise from the Sh500 million collected in 2023/2024 and nearly double the Sh439 million collected in 2021/2022. “The spike is attributed to enhanced enforcement, digital rent tracking and recovery campaigns that peaked in May 2025 when the county collected a record Sh200 million in a single month,” said Ms Mathia.
In the budget tabled by Mr Kerich, Sh849 million has been allocated for the construction, rehabilitation and equipping of health centres, including procurement of essential supplements and vitamins.
An additional Sh400 million has been earmarked for the supply of non-pharmaceutical essentials to county hospitals ensuring smooth operations and the continuous availability of basic items.
“Infrastructure development is a key priority. We are planning major upgrades and expansions for key hospitals including Pumwani Maternity and Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital. This includes equipping them with modern diagnostic tools and revamping the county’s health data systems,” stated Mr Kerich.
