Nairobi must prioritise sewerage before it pours

Nairobi's infrastructure challenges are reaching a critical inflection point, with sewerage and water management systems operating at dangerous capacity levels during the rainy season. The Kenyan capital, home to over 4 million residents and East Africa's largest commercial hub, faces a sewerage network designed for a population half its current size. This infrastructure deficit represents both an acute urban crisis and a significant market opportunity for European investors with expertise in water management and sanitation solutions. The scale of the problem is substantial. Nairobi's primary sewerage treatment facility, the Dandora treatment plant, processes approximately 400,000 cubic meters of sewage daily—well beyond its designed capacity of 320,000 cubic meters. During heavy rainfall, the system becomes overwhelmed, leading to overflows into residential areas, contamination of water sources, and public health emergencies. These recurring crises have become politically contentious, with Nairobi's leadership repeatedly pledging infrastructure upgrades that fail to materialize at pace. For European investors, this situation warrants careful analysis. Kenya's water and sanitation sector is estimated at $2.8 billion annually, with projected growth of 7-9% through 2030, driven largely by urbanization and climate variability. The Kenyan government has explicitly prioritized water and sanitation in its Vision 2030 development agenda, with the Water