The former Hilton building in Nairobi’s Central Business District has found new life as Tulivu Co-Working Space officially takes over the iconic property. This transformation marks a pivotal moment for the city’s commercial real estate landscape, repurposing one of Nairobi’s most recognizable landmarks into a hub for collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The Hilton Hotel, which closed its doors in December 2022 after decades of operation, now welcomes a new generation of professionals seeking flexible, modern, and design-forward workspaces.
Tulivu Co-Working Space, located along Mama Ngina Street, has been redesigned to meet the needs of startups, SMEs, freelancers, and corporate teams embracing hybrid work models. The facility features private offices, coworking desks, meeting rooms, a content studio, and a conference hall — all crafted to support productivity and creativity in a shared environment. According to Tulivu’s center manager, Blessed Muthoni, the space represents a new chapter for Nairobi’s evolving work culture, emphasizing functionality, design, and service as the foundation of modern professional life.
The launch comes at a time when Nairobi’s coworking sector is witnessing robust growth. A report by Knight Frank indicates that prime office occupancy rose to 77.7 percent by mid-2024, up from 72.7 percent in January. The city now hosts over 60 coworking spaces, primarily concentrated in key business districts like Westlands, Upperhill, and Karen. This trend underscores a growing appetite for premium and flexible workspaces, especially among entrepreneurs, business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, and multinational teams seeking scalable and sustainable office solutions.
Nairobi County’s Executive Committee Member for Business and Hustler Opportunities, Anastacia Nyalita, presided over the inauguration, signaling the county’s continued support for innovation-driven businesses. The shift toward shared and serviced offices reflects broader changes in global work dynamics, with many organizations adopting hybrid models that balance flexibility with connectivity. Recent expansions by firms like KOFISI, Workstyle, IWG, and Teleperformance further highlight the city’s momentum as a rising hub for coworking and business innovation.
As the market continues to evolve, analysts predict developers will focus more on refurbishing and upgrading older buildings rather than initiating new office projects. Sustainability, quality, and adaptability are becoming the defining benchmarks for Nairobi’s future workspace trends. Tulivu’s move into the former Hilton building not only preserves a piece of the city’s history but also symbolizes the reinvention of urban spaces to meet the demands of a dynamic, tech-driven, and collaborative generation.
