Kenya is positioning itself to attract a larger share of Africa’s growing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) market through the construction of the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC), a flagship facility expected to expand the country’s capacity to host major international events.
Located along Lang’ata Road in Nairobi, the facility is designed to accommodate up to 11,000 delegates across five functional zones, with spaces for international conventions, exhibitions, state banquets, bilateral meetings and cultural performances.
The project is currently 55 per cent complete, with construction progressing towards specialised internal finishes. Approximately 1,800 workers are engaged on site.
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According to Lieutenant Colonel Wilfrida Amondi, an architect and project officer at the Kenya Defence Forces, the project was conceived to upgrade the existing Bomas facilities to international standards and provide capacity for larger conventions.
The centre is organised into five zones, featuring a 3,500-capacity auditorium, a 4,600-square-metre convention hall, a ballroom, multiple meeting rooms and a presidential area.
The convention hall is expected to accommodate up to 5,000 people and can be partitioned to host several events simultaneously, including exhibitions and banquets.
Bomas of Kenya Acting Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Okidiyang said the development was informed by the opportunity to position Kenya competitively in Africa’s expanding conference tourism market.
“The growing MICE industry across Africa presented an opportunity for Kenya to attract major international events and generate business for the wider tourism sector,” he noted.
The centre’s strategic location is expected to strengthen its appeal, with access from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport through connecting road networks.
Its proximity to Nairobi National Park and the planned link to Talanta Sports City could also create opportunities to integrate conference tourism with sports, hospitality and nature-based tourism.
Officials say the wider development plan envisages additional commercial facilities, star-rated hotels and a 20,000-capacity sports arena in subsequent phases. These developments are intended to create a broader destination for business, accommodation, sports and entertainment.
The facility will also incorporate modern conference technology, including simultaneous interpretation systems supporting up to seven languages and teleconferencing facilities.
Solar installations currently underway are expected to generate approximately 3.5 megawatts of electricity to support the centre’s energy requirements.
Once completed, the Bomas International Convention Centre is expected to complement the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), increase Nairobi’s capacity to host major conferences and strengthen Kenya’s competitiveness in attracting international business events.
The development is also expected to create opportunities across the wider tourism and hospitality sector, including accommodation, transport, catering and other services linked to international gatherings.