The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) consortium has been selected as the preferred proponent for the multibillion-shilling Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit (A8) and Nairobi–Maai Mahiu (A8 South) public-private partnership (PPP) road projects, following approval by the Public Private Partnership Committee of the National Treasury and Economic Planning.
The decision, reached at the committee’s 47th Extraordinary Meeting on October 9, 2025, marks a significant milestone in one of Kenya’s most closely watched PPP infrastructure projects — a development expected to enhance connectivity, logistics efficiency, and regional trade across the central and western transport corridors.
Project Overview and Scope
According to a disclosure issued by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), the two projects cover approximately 175 kilometres of the A8 Road from Rironi Interchange to Mau Summit turnoff, and 58 kilometres of the A8 South section from Rironi to Naivasha through Maai Mahiu. The roads traverse Kiambu, Nyandarua, and Nakuru Counties, linking key agricultural, industrial, and tourism regions.
Both projects were proposed as Privately Initiated Proposals (PIPs) — one by CRBC–NSSF and another by Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge International Engineering Co. Ltd (SORBI) — for the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (DBFOMT) of the roads under a PPP model.
Following conditional approvals granted earlier by the PPP Committee, the proponents conducted detailed feasibility studies and submitted their reports to KeNHA on September 15, 2025 for evaluation.
PPP Committee Decision
KeNHA, serving as the contracting authority, evaluated the submissions in accordance with Section 43(9) of the PPP Act, Cap 430, and forwarded its findings to the PPP Directorate for review and recommendation.
The PPP Committee subsequently determined that the project meets all key criteria — public interest, feasibility, affordability, and suitability for PPP procurement — and approved its advancement under the PPP Act, 2021.
“The Committee approved the recommendation of the Evaluation Report, which identified the CRBC & NSSF Consortium as the preferred project proponent, subject to fulfilment of technical, financial, environmental, social, and legal conditions,” the statement read.
The decision effectively positions the CRBC–NSSF partnership to move toward commercial close and financial structuring, paving the way for one of Kenya’s largest PPP road developments in recent years.
Transparency and Public Disclosure
KeNHA emphasized that the disclosure was made in accordance with the PPP Act, Cap 430, and the National Treasury Circular of April 24, 2025, which mandates public transparency on privately initiated proposals (PIPs). The move aligns with the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability and stakeholder engagement in major infrastructure partnerships.
“This disclosure is made to notify members of the public of the PPP Committee’s decision on the evaluation of the project development phase documents, and to comply with publication requirements under Section 43(14) of the PPP Act,” the authority said.
Full details of the disclosure, including the evaluation outcomes and next steps, are available on KeNHA’s official website at kenha.co.ke/tenders-ppp.
Next Steps and Conditions
The CRBC–NSSF consortium will now be required to meet several pre-contractual conditions, including confirmation of financing arrangements, detailed engineering designs, environmental and social impact compliance, and alignment with Kenyan PPP regulatory standards. Only after these steps will the consortium reach financial close, allowing the project’s construction phase to begin.
Infrastructure analysts note that the CRBC–NSSF partnership reflects a growing trend of local institutional participation in infrastructure financing — a model that leverages domestic capital pools such as the NSSF pension fund alongside experienced international contractors.
“This structure helps retain value locally while attracting long-term foreign investment into Kenya’s infrastructure sector,” said a senior PPP specialist familiar with the project.
Strategic Importance
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit corridor forms part of the Northern Corridor, East Africa’s busiest trade artery linking the port of Mombasa to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Maai Mahiu route serves as a crucial alternative transit corridor, especially for heavy freight and tourism access to the Rift Valley and beyond.
The twin projects are expected to reduce travel times, improve road safety, and enhance economic integration along Kenya’s central and western regions — areas that contribute substantially to national GDP through agriculture, industry, and logistics.
The developments also align with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and the Kenya Vision 2030 infrastructure pillar, which prioritizes PPPs as a sustainable means of delivering large-scale public assets amid fiscal constraints.
KeNHA reaffirmed its commitment to full compliance with all statutory provisions of the PPP Act and to maintaining transparency throughout the project’s implementation.
“KeNHA remains committed to strictly adhering to the provisions of the PPP Act and to ensuring delivery of critical infrastructure in line with public interest,” said Director General Eng. Luka Kimeli. “We will continue to engage the public and stakeholders as the project transitions to the next phase.”
The authority invited members of the public to submit feedback or inquiries through its official contact channels as preparations advance toward procurement and financing closure.