The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has announced the toll charges motorists will pay to use the 94-kilometre Gilgil–Nakuru–Mau Summit section of the A8 Highway after signing a 30-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with Shandong Hi-Speed Road & Bridge International Engineering Co. Ltd. (SDRBI).
According to a public disclosure issued by KeNHA on Tuesday July 7, , the section which is part of the broader Rironi-Mau Summit highway, will operate as a toll road, with motorists paying an initial toll tariff of Ksh8.50 per kilometre.
The authority said any future tariff adjustments will be implemented in accordance with the Project Agreement and subject to government approvals and regulatory requirements
KeNHA Announces Toll Charges for 94 KM Gilgil–Nakuru–Mau Summit Highway, Awards Shandong Hi-Speed 30-Year Contract
The disclosure follows the execution of a Project Agreement between KeNHA and SDRBI after the project received approvals under the Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Act, paving the way for construction works to begin.
The project will be implemented under a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (DBFOMT) arrangement, under which the private firm will design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the highway before handing it back to KeNHA at the end of the concession.
The concession will run for 30 years, covering the design, construction, operation and maintenance phases, after which the road and all associated infrastructure will revert to the government.
KeNHA said the project involves the development of approximately 94 kilometres of the A8 Highway between Gilgil and Mau Summit, traversing Nakuru and Baringo counties.
Besides upgrading the Gilgil–Nakuru–Mau Summit section , the project will include the construction of interchanges, a viaduct through Nakuru City, bridges, drainage structures, tolling infrastructure, road safety features and other ancillary facilities aimed at improving the safety, efficiency and reliability of the highway.
The authority said the upgraded road is expected to improve traffic flow along one of Kenya’s busiest transport corridors linking Nairobi with the Rift Valley and western Kenya.
Also Read: KeNHA Discloses What Motorists Will Pay on Rironi–Naivasha–Gilgil Highway Under New Toll Plan
How the Contractor was Selected
KeNHA said the project originated from a Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP) submitted by Shandong Hi-Speed Road & Bridge International Engineering Co. Ltd.
The proposal received conditional approval from the PPP Committee to proceed to the Project Development Phase, during which the company undertook feasibility studies and submitted a feasibility report.
Following evaluation of the project documentation under Section 43 of the PPP Act, the contracting authority identified SDRBI as the Preferred Proponent.
The PPP Committee adopted the recommendation during its 48th Extraordinary Meeting held on November 10, 2025, subject to fulfilment of conditions outlined in the evaluation report.
KeNHA subsequently negotiated the project agreement with the contractor before submitting the Project and Financial Risk Assessment Report and the initialled agreement to the PPP Directorate and later to the PPP Committee for approval.
The committee, during its 56th Ordinary Meeting held on November 25, 2025, approved the Project and Financial Risk Assessment Report and authorised execution of the Project Agreement.
Following the approvals, KeNHA signed an Early Works Agreement before executing the final Project Agreement, allowing the contractor to commence works.
How the Project Will Be Financed and Managed
KeNHA said the project will be primarily financed by the private party, with the government’s financial commitments limited to those expressly provided for under the Project Agreement.
The authority added that any government support measures will only be provided in accordance with the PPP Act and the signed agreement and may include contractual undertakings necessary to facilitate implementation and manage agreed project risks.
The authority said it will monitor the project throughout the concession period to ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
The monitoring will cover design and construction standards, operational performance, maintenance requirements, road safety obligations, environmental and social compliance, financial reporting and other contractual commitments.
The concessionaire will also be required to submit periodic reports as stipulated in the Project Agreement.
At the end of the 30-year concession, or upon earlier termination, the road assets will be transferred to KeNHA in the condition and quality prescribed under the agreement, taking into account applicable handback requirements, performance standards and the remaining asset life.
Also Read: Rironi–Mau Summit Road Set to Unlock Trade and Transform Communities
The latest announcement comes just weeks after KeNHA disclosed another major toll road concession on the same highway corridor.
On June 24, the authority announced that the 139-kilometre Rironi–Gilgil and Rironi–Maai Mahiu–Naivasha sections had been awarded to the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC)-National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Consortium.
That project will also operate as a toll road under a 30-year DBFOMT concession, with motorists expected to pay an initial toll tariff of KSh8 per kilometre.
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