University of Nairobi seeks alumni support to upgrade student hostels

The University of Nairobi in Kenya is calling on alumni to help renovate student hostels through its Adopt a Hostel campaign, as it seeks external support to improve accommodation and campus facilities.

Vice-Chancellor Ayub Gitau made the appeal during an alumni breakfast meeting at UoN Towers on Oct 23, with the university reporting the event on Oct 26. He urged graduates of the Faculties of Education and Science and Technology to support improvements to the halls where they had lived as students.

The initiative invites alumni, companies and other well-wishers to contribute towards individual rooms, floors, wings, entire hostel blocks or larger residential complexes. Support can include financial contributions, building materials, technical expertise and maintenance services.

What the hostel campaign aims to improve

According to the university, proposed improvements could include new beds and mattresses, upgraded washrooms, better lighting, Wi-Fi and digital study facilities. The campaign is intended to give donors a direct way to support specific accommodation projects rather than contribute only to general university development.

The university has not disclosed a total cost for the required renovations, a fundraising target or the amount pledged so far. It has also not published a comprehensive breakdown of hostels requiring repairs or the number of students expected to benefit.

Those details will be important in assessing the scale of the accommodation needs and the resources required to address them.

Alumni engagement expands across faculties

The October meeting included alumni and university representatives who discussed ways to support infrastructure development and student welfare. Babu Owino, a member of parliament for Embakasi East and a University of Nairobi graduate, pledged to mobilise fellow alumni and friends to support the institution. Bishop Peter Kilonzo also pledged to help mobilise resources.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Finance, Planning and Development Josiah Aduda encouraged alumni to contribute beyond accommodation, including through mentorship, internships, research partnerships, scholarships and modern teaching facilities.

The university said the campaign had been rolled out across eight faculties, with engagement planned for the remaining two before the end of October. Faculty homecoming events scheduled for November are expected to provide further opportunities for graduates to identify projects and support their former departments.

Funding and implementation details remain unclear

The Adopt a Hostel initiative builds on earlier alumni engagement meetings held by the university in August and September 2026. Those discussions also focused on refurbishing ageing hostels, improving accommodation and developing a framework for alumni and corporate contributions.

The latest announcement does not specify when individual renovation projects will begin, how contributions will be managed or which hostels will receive support first. The university has also not linked the campaign to a quantified assessment of accommodation safety, affordability or capacity.

The campaign's impact will therefore depend on the funds and other resources mobilised, the projects selected and the progress made in implementing the proposed upgrades.