Business travel and expatriation in Nairobi: interview with Christelle Adjagba

What are Nairobi's best assets for business travellers and expatriates?

Christelle Adjagba - First of all, Nairobi is well served by all airlines. In addition, a number of international United Nations institutions are based here. The UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), for example, has its world headquarters here. The city has a huge expatriate population and tourism is very well developed, with successive generations of expatriates enriching the offer. Nairobi also offers a high level of services. There is also a very high quality of life and the climate is more temperate than in many other African cities.

What about insecurity, which has been much talked about in the past?

C. A. - I've been living in Nairobi for four years now and I think it's improved a lot. It's true that the capital was once known as "Nairobbery", a contraction of Nairobi and the English word "robbery". But for at least the last eight years, the government has taken drastic measures. Crime is down, and since I arrived, I've heard very little about 'robbery'. carjacking or snatching situation. Although the consequences of the pandemic have mitigated this decline, there is no particular insecurity to fear as long as you are careful and avoid areas that are not recommended in Kenya.

The economic impact of Covid has affected expatriates, some of whom have left or almost left the country.

What impact has the pandemic had on the capital?

C. A. - Everything to do with catering and entertainment suffered a huge shock. After three months, there were some reopenings, but for the most part, those who worked in these sectors lost their jobs overnight. With the closure of the borders, there were no tourists and all activity (safari, sea, etc.) came to a standstill.. Even small craftsmen and sellers of handicrafts have been badly affected. The economic impact has also affected expatriates, some of whom have left or almost left the country. Tourism has still not returned to its pre-pandemic level. Today it is mainly domestic tourism.

What can Nairobi count on to get back on track?

C. A. - I note that some sectors seem to be faring better than others. This is the case for infrastructure. Numerous projects are underway, particularly road projects, to reach the airport. There has been no let-up in the construction activity, and we have even seen an acceleration in road infrastructure and building work. This is a real dynamic in Nairobi: property prices have fallen sharply and it's easy to negotiate purchase and rental prices. What's more, the online services sector, which already existed, has developed even more in response to the pandemic: this includes widespread online payments, mobile wallet solutions such as M-Pesa, online shopping, online meal delivery, etc.