For expatriates and new foreign investors moving to Nairobi for a short or indeterminate period, the question “where do I work while I am here?” pops up more often than not. Sure, a home office is decent, but there’s too much distraction nearby. A long-term lease, on the other hand, is out of the question if one’s not sure how long they’ll be staying, or if they don’t intend to stay for long.
Then there’s the little issue of our current global pandemic: a lot of businesses have been adversely affected in the past year, and a lot of them are looking for lean ways to grow and sustain themselves.
Coworking spaces offer the perfect solution for people moving to Kenya: they are equipped with all resources a business needs: from fast internet to quiet workplaces, coffee, printers, legal support, etc. Their plans are very flexible, and they usually take care of the cleaning and maintenance of the facilities.
The collective environment of many companies working in close proximity also creates an innovative and collaborative atmosphere where one benefits simply by being plugged in. From young businesses and freelancers to large corporations and folks seeking a temporary office in Nairobi, coworking spaces are a great way to get work done and open new opportunities while at it.
In this article, we will explore some of the most exciting coworking spaces in Nairobi and detail the benefits that their members can enjoy. We selected these spaces for they offer compelling value propositions and/or provide a unique experience that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
1. Nairobi Garage
Locations: Kilimani, Westlands, Spring Valley, Karen
Facilities: high speed internet, conference rooms, fresh roasted coffee, kitchen, meeting rooms
Nairobi Garage is one of the largest and most vibrant co-working spaces in Nairobi. They offer open plan offices with flexible desks as well as fixed offices and virtual offices. All the premises have high-speed internet, unlimited fresh roasted coffee, and 24-hour access. Members of Nairobi Garage have access to in-house accounting and legal services depending on one’s package. It is home to hundreds of businesses and boasts strong contacts in the tech industry (fintech, agri, solar), which members can access through their community management team. NG also organizes frequent events, workshops, and networking functions held at their locations, featuring renowned businesspeople and leaders of industry like Aly Khan Satchu, Dr. James Mworia, Ben Kiruthi, Dr. Rose Mutiso, and more.
Price range: Ksh 2,000/day to Ksh 25,000/month, with different pricing for custom plans.
2. Lawyers Hub
Location: Upper Hill
Facilities: high-speed internet, backup generators
Benefits: Access to events at the hub, close proximity to Milimani Law Courts
Lawyers Hub is a unique coworking space, being that it caters primarily to people and organizations operating within and around the law profession. It claims to be a “nexus between Law and Technology and uses technology as a leverage to improve access to justice and the business of law.”
Lawyers Hub is strategically located a stone throw away from the Milimani Law Courts, and its members can enjoy a wide array of benefits, from high speed internet to startup incubation and legal and policy support for innovators.
Lawyers Hub is also carving its niche as a hub for law and tech events, time and again organizing world-class conferences such as the Global Legal Hackathon 2019 and the just-concluded Africa Law Tech Festival 2020
Price range: Ksh 1000/day to Ksh 20,000/month
3. Ikigai Nairobi
Locations: Westlands, Lower Kabete, Lavington
Facilities: High speed internet, conference rooms, meeting rooms, event facilities, community cafe.
Ikigai promotes wellness by creating workspaces that blend into the natural environment. They believe that individuals are more creative, healthier and happier in the outdoors. Whether you require a desk, a private office, a quiet place to hold a meeting or a secluded area to hold an event, their green spaces promote community, productivity, socializing and collaboration.
Ikigai also organizes a dynamic range of events, from art exhibitions to workshops, work soirees, and work cocktails.
Price range: Starts at Ksh 10,000 per month.
4. Axlr8
Location: Kilimani
Facilities: high speed internet, conference rooms, fresh roasted coffee, kitchen, meeting rooms, mail service
Axlr8 is built as an expressive space for all creatives to share energy, ideas and space. They are proud to offer a space where communities of like-minded individuals can collaborate and help each other.
Price range: Ksh 7,500 to Ksh 20,000 per month
5. PAWA254
Location: Processional Way
Facilities: Free Wifi, film and theatre facilities, conference facilities, library, meeting rooms shared printer, mini kitchen, gardens
PAWA 254 is a 37-seater collaborative coworking space which offers both communal working tables and designated desks. It is primarily focused on young artistic and creative bright minds collaborating at one place. It is a popular venue for hosting a lot of artistic showcases such as films and theatrical performances, masterclasses, and the PAWA Festival.
Price range: Ksh 500/day to Ksh 15,000/month.
6. Regus
Locations: Kenyatta Avenue, Vienna Court, Laiboni Center, Delta Corner, Village Market, 14 Riverside
Facilities: daycare, showers, lockers, kitchen, video conferencing facilities, fully serviced offices
Benefits: Worldwide membership allows you to drop into any location and immediately start working.
Regus is one of the world’s largest providers of convenient, high-quality, fully serviced workspace. It provides co-working spaces office and virtual office services along with well-equipped meeting rooms access. Located in 9 spaces in Kenya, it has a mobile application to access the bookings on the go.
Price range: Ksh 700/day to Ksh 25,000/month. Multiple plans available, with options for short and long-term plans.
7. Sunbird Group
Locations: Riverside Drive, Karen, Westlands, Lang’ata, Hurlingham
Facilities: Meeting Rooms, Printers, Scanners, IT & Telephone Support, video conferencing, fully serviced offices
Benefits: all their buildings are in key business locations in Nairobi.
Sunbird creates inspirational working environments that enable businesses to flourish. They have over 1300 members in 7 African countries, and locally have pioneered major projects such as Eden Square Business Complex, Landmark Plaza, and Wilson Business Park. They provide flexible workspaces, private offices with custom branding and even long term leases for variable sizes depending on the premises.
Finding office space in 2021 does not have to be a headache like it used to be. There has been a surge in coworking spaces in Nairobi over the last few years, who offer a diverse range of benefits for all budgets. A keen online search should help you uncover the perfect space that fits your needs and budget.
And when you do need to move, give us a call and we’ll lend you a helping hand.
Are you moving to Kenya? Nellions can make your transition easy and effortless. Click here to learn more about what we can do to make your move seamless. You can also check out our reviews here.
