- Foreign Born Percentage
- Data not available at city level
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: worldpopulationreview.com, en.wikipedia.org
Good to know
Good to Know
- Nairobi's population is young and rapidly growing (3.52% annually), driven by rural-to-urban migration and international migration seeking economic opportunities.
- The city is ethnically and culturally diverse with Kenya's major ethnic groups represented; Kikuyu comprise approximately 20% of the city population.
- Nairobi's tech ecosystem draws entrepreneurs from across Africa, India, China, UK, and USA; the city functions as a launch point for pan-African expansion.
- M-Pesa and mobile money penetration (91%) mean digital financial services are ubiquitous — nearly every transaction can be handled via phone.
- The 2019 census showed Asians remain a visible business community in Nairobi (Eastleigh district especially), though numbers have declined significantly since the colonial era.
- Multiple UN agencies, international media organizations, and major multinational corporations maintain regional headquarters in the city.
- Expatriate communities tend to cluster in specific neighborhoods (Westlands, Gigiri, Karen); the city has a genuine mix of local and international social scenes.
Population
- Growth Rate Annual Percent
- 3.52
- Metro Area 2026
- 5767000
- Median Age Years
- 20.3
- Total City Proper 2026
- 5603502
- Population Density Per Km2
- 4850
Expatriate Presence
- Notable Characteristics
- Growing concentration of expats in tech and startup sectors; strong social and professional expat networks; mixed residential areas with both local and expatriate populations
- Description
- Large and growing expatriate community due to job opportunities in tech, international organizations, diplomacy, NGOs, and business
Business Tech Presence
- Status
- Major regional tech hub
- Venture Capital Activity
- In 2025, Kenyan startups attracted $984 million in funding. In Q3 2025 alone, Nairobi attracted $536 million, accounting for 54.2% of all startup funding on the continent. Kenya captured nearly one-third of all venture capital flowing into Africa in 2025.
- Startup Ecosystem Metrics
- Globally, Kenya's startup ecosystem ranks 58th. In 2025, Eastern Africa — led by Kenya — secured 34% of all funding across the continent.
Nicknames
- Silicon Savannah
- Green City under the Sun
Key Sectors
- Fintech and mobile money (M-Pesa ecosystem, 91% mobile money penetration)
- E-commerce
- AgTech
- Climate-tech and renewable energy
- AI and applied AI solutions
- Logistics and supply chain
- HealthTech
Accelerators And Hubs
- iHub (Spark Accelerator Programme)
- Konza Technopolis (Special Economic Zone, 60km southeast)
- Villgro (health and life sciences focus)
- Adanian Labs (AI, fintech, healthtech, climate-tech venture studio)
- Baobab Network
- Catalyst Fund
- 88mph
- GrowthAfrica
International Presence
- Microsoft (AI infrastructure and partnerships)
- Visa
- IBM
- GE
- Coca-Cola
- BBC, CNN, Reuters, AFP, Deutsche Welle, Associated Press (media regional HQs)
- UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
- UN Office at Nairobi (UNON)
- Multiple international NGOs and think tanks
Foreign Born Percentage
Data not available at city level
Major Ethnic Groups Kenyan
Kikuyu
- Approximate City Percentage
- 20
Luo
- Presence
- significant
Luhya
- Presence
- significant
Kamba
- Presence
- significant
Historical Asian Population
In the 1962 census, Asians made up one-third of Nairobi's population. According to 2019 census data for Kenya, Kenyan Asians number 47,555 with Kenyan citizenship, while Asians without Kenyan citizenship number 42,972. Many are concentrated in Eastleigh's business sector.
Notable Nationalities Present
Notable Nationalities Present
- Asian (Indian, Gujarati, Punjabi heritage)
- European
- Somali
- South Sudanese (refugee population)
- Western expatriates (USA, UK, France, Spain, among others)
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Nairobi
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.