Nairobi’s landlords find big returns in tiny shops and shelves

A client stores her belongings in a shelf at Pick and Drop Shelves at Rasumal house in Nairobi on March 26, 2026.

Photo credit: Billy Ogada | Nation Media Group

The wide, open retail floors that once filled commercial buildings in Nairobi’s central business district are disappearing.

In their place, shops are being carved into smaller units, some barely wide enough for a counter and a wall of shelves. In some buildings, single rooms are split into neat rows of cubicles, each occupied by a different vendor, their goods stacked carefully to maximise visibility.

PAYE Tax Calculator

Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.