Two Rivers SEZ Allowed to Bypass Nairobi County Approvals as it Pushes for Faster Growth

Kenya, 23 October 2025 - The Two Rivers Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has been granted the authority to bypass Nairobi County’s building and development approvals, a move aimed at speeding up investments and positioning the site as one of Kenya’s most efficient business hubs.

The decision, published in the Kenya Gazette, designates the Two Rivers International Finance and Innovation Centre (Trific) as a “project of strategic national importance.”

This classification allows all approvals, from development permissions to lease extensions, to go directly through the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, rather than county offices.

According to Section 69(4) of the Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019, projects with high economic value or strategic impact can bypass local planning bureaucracy.

Trific qualifies under Regulation 4(d) of that law.

Centum Investment Company, which owns and operates Two Rivers, says the move will help accelerate development within the 102-acre precinct, unlocking billions in potential investment.

Developers will now deal directly with national regulators, shortening approval timelines for new office towers, tech parks, and logistics facilities inside the SEZ.

But the shift has stirred debate over the balance between speed and oversight. While investors welcome a streamlined process, governance experts warn that removing county approval could weaken local input on environmental impact and community planning.

“Two Rivers has always symbolized ambition in Kenya’s real-estate landscape,” said an urban-planning consultant familiar with the project but who declined to be quoted.

“This new status might fast-track investment, but it also tests how devolution and national development goals coexist.”

At the heart of the SEZ’s ambitions is the Trific North Tower, expected to become the first property under a U.S. dollar-denominated real estate investment trust (I-REIT). The tower will anchor a growing cluster of financial, innovation, and lifestyle developments within the SEZ.

As Kenya continues to market itself as East Africa’s financial and technology hub, the government is betting on projects like Trific to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and create high-value jobs, even as questions persist over regulatory balance and public accountability.

What is Trific and Why It Matters

The Two Rivers International Finance and Innovation Centre (Trific) is Kenya’s latest effort to position Nairobi as a continental hub for business and technology.

Situated within the expansive Two Rivers Development along Limuru Road, Trific operates as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) licensed by the SEZ Authority of Kenya.

Owned by Centum Investment Company Plc, the centre is designed to host financial institutions, fintech startups, research labs, logistics firms, and innovation companies. Businesses based at Trific enjoy reduced taxes, faster approvals, and modern digital infrastructure, making it one of the country’s most attractive destinations for investors.

Its flagship project, the Trific North Tower, will become the first asset in a U.S. dollar-denominated real estate investment trust (I-REIT).

The development aims to transform Two Rivers into a fully integrated financial, innovation, and lifestyle hub, blending global headquarters, startups, and commercial spaces under one ecosystem.

More broadly, Trific is part of Kenya’s long-term strategy to draw foreign direct investment through world-class SEZs, strengthening Nairobi’s position not just as a regional capital, but as a global city of innovation and finance.