CORRECTION: CityBlue Hotels Announces Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue, The Tallest Branded Residences in East Africa
CityBlue Hotels, Africa's fastest-growing local hotel chain, and SMB Properties, a leading property developer in Kenya, today announced a strategic partnership to launch the 256-unit Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue. This landmark collaboration will introduce a new paradigm of upscale residential living in Nairobi, with Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue poised to become one of Kenya's tallest and most iconic towers.
The announcement, made at the prestigious Future Hospitality Summit Africa in Cape Town, marks a significant milestone for both entities and for Kenya's real estate market. Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue will offer an unparalleled living experience, combining SMB Properties' expertise in crafting exquisite residential spaces with CityBlue Hotels' renowned hospitality management.
Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue, located in the prime Westlands area of Nairobi, is designed to cater to the discerning tastes of high-net-worth individuals and expatriates seeking premium living. The development will feature luxurious 1, 2, 3, and 4-bedroom apartments, complemented by an extensive array of 22+ world-class amenities.
These include over 52,000 sq. ft. of space dedicated to wellness, lifestyle, and recreational amenities. From Kenya's highest rooftop infinity pool to a full-service spa, fully equipped gym, squash and pickleball courts, private cinema lounges, and dedicated children's play areas, creating a vertical city concept that redefines urban luxury.
As Kenya is emerging as a prime investment destination in Africa, Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue presents a unique opportunity for investors to be part of this growth. With projected capital appreciation of up to 30% in 3 years after completion and ROI of up to 23%, the development combines lifestyle with long-term financial returns.
'This partnership demonstrates commitment to a relentless quest for footprint in key African markets and diversifying our offerings beyond traditional hotels,' said Jameel Verjee, CEO of CityBlue Hotels.
'Nairobi's dynamic real estate landscape presents a unique opportunity to blend our expertise in hospitality with SMB Properties' vision for luxury residential development. Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue will deliver the signature CityBlue experience, ensuring comfort, convenience, and unparalleled service for our residents.'
Taher Saleh, Managing Director of SMB Properties added, 'Le Mirage Residences by CityBlue represents the pinnacle of luxury and architectural innovation in Kenya. We are proud to collaborate with CityBlue Hotels, a brand synonymous with excellence in hospitality, to create a landmark that will stand as a beacon of modern living in Nairobi. This project is a direct response to the growing demand for high-end residential properties in Kenya, and we are confident that its prime location, superior design, and comprehensive amenities will set new benchmarks in the market.'
The project is poised to be one of Kenya's tallest residential towers, reflecting the nation's ambitious growth and the increasing sophistication of its urban centers. Its strategic location in Westlands, a vibrant commercial and residential hub, ensures easy access to Nairobi's business districts, diplomatic missions, and premier lifestyle destinations.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Bench.
Contact:
For CityBlue Hotels:
Email: grow@citybluehotels.com
For SMB Properties:
Email: sales@smbproperties.co.ke
About CityBlue Hotels:
CityBlue Hotels is Africa's fastest-growing local hotel chain, renowned for its customer-centric approach and commitment to providing world-class hospitality across Eastern and Western Africa's major cities. With a focus on seamless, tech-supported experiences, CityBlue Hotels aims to redefine comfort and convenience for business and leisure travelers alike. The brand is dedicated to expanding its footprint and diversifying its offerings to meet the evolving demands of the African hospitality market.
About SMB Properties:
SMB Properties is a privately-owned luxury property developer based in Kenya, specializing in bringing to life residential projects designed with pristine detail for premium living. With a strong track record of delivering exquisite developments, SMB Properties is committed to transforming spaces into lifestyles, where prime locations meet unparalleled amenities. The company plays a significant role in shaping Kenya's luxury real estate landscape, catering to discerning buyers seeking high-end finishes and world-class living experiences.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) bilateral meeting with Minister for Food and Agriculture of Ghana Honourable Eric Opoku
FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa Abebe Haile-Gabriel met today with the Minister for Food and Agriculture of Ghana, Honourable Eric Opoku, at the Ministry's headquarters in Accra. The FAO Assistant Director-General assured FAO's continued close collaboration with the Government of Ghana. Discussions covered key upcoming global and regional milestones including the FAO 80th anniversary throughout 2025, the 44th Session of the FAO Conference to be held in Rome from 28 June to 4 July 2025, the World Food Forum scheduled for October 2025, FAO's global exhibition 'From Seeds to Foods' and the launch of the FAO Museum, both also scheduled in October during the World Food Forum, and the ongoing Country Office strengthening process to enhance FAO's delivery as One FAO. The pair reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between FAO and Ghana and exchanged views on collaborating on priority areas for joint action, particularly the Feed Ghana Programme, launched by the Government with a view to boosting agricultural production, creating jobs, and reducing food imports. 'The two of us have a common goal: achieving food security and nutrition for everybody,' the Minister said. FAO and Ghana have a special relationship because the FAO regional headquarters for Africa is based in Accra, as well as the FAO Ghana country office. This makes FAO the largest UN agency in Ghana. 'We see FAO's Regional Office for Africa as a huge blessing to the nation. This is an opportunity for us to impact on the lives of the people,' the Minister said. FAO is currently supporting a range of initiatives in Ghana, including improving food security response in northern Ghana in partnership with the European Union, supporting women fonio producers, strengthening the soybean value chain under the One Country One Priority Product initiative, enhancing fisheries governance, and preventing transboundary animal diseases, among others. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema and African Development Bank's (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina Inaugurate Water Pumping Station for Greater Libreville
'Ten years without clean water: erased! Ten years without hope: forgotten! Ten years of suffering: over!'—Adesina to residents of Libreville's outlying neighborhoods. Adesina Receives Gabon's Highest Civilian Honor Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema and African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina ( on Monday jointly inaugurated a new drinking water pumping station, marking the end of a decade-long water crisis in PK5, a densely populated district of Libreville. The new PK5 pumping station, with a daily capacity of 57,600 cubic meters, is designed to deliver clean water to 128,000 residents across seven northern districts of the capital. 'These past few weeks, we've finally felt like citizens of real capital. Water is flowing from our taps at last,' said Sandrine Onanga, a 33-year-old mother living in PK5. 'It has been eight years since we last saw a drop of water. We had even forgotten what a tap looked like,' added Astrid Momboukou, who joined the crowd to witness the inauguration of the facility. For years, taps had run dry in parts of Libreville. 'That's all behind us now. No more lugging water jugs for kilometers. No more waiting late into the night for police tankers to deliver water every two or three days,' said Sandrine, smiling under the light rain that fell over Libreville that Monday. The new station was inaugurated in the presence of senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, development partners, and an enthusiastic local population. It forms part of the Integrated Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Program for Libreville (PAIEPAL). The program, with a total investment of €117.4 million, is financed through a €75.4 million loan from the African Development Bank and a €42 million loan from the Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF), backed by the People's Bank of China and administered by the Bank. The program aims to improve access to potable water and sanitation services in Libreville, strengthen sector governance, and build capacity for long-term transformation. The initiative ensures that more than 300,000 people—approximately 31% of Libreville's 967,095 residents—now have sustainable and permanent access to clean water. The beneficiary communes include Libreville, Akanda, Owendo, and Ntoum. Adesina emphasized the life-changing impact of the new pumping station: 'Ten years without drinking water: erased! Ten years without hope: forgotten! Ten years of suffering: ended!' The Bank, a reliable and strategic partner for Gabon Adesina also highlighted the Bank's unwavering development support for Gabon during his ten-year tenure. 'From 1974 to 2014, the Bank approved $1 billion in financing for Gabon. Since my election in 2015, we have committed an additional $1.5 billion—1.5 times the previous 40-year total,' he said. According to Philippe Tonangoye, Gabon's Minister for Universal Access to Water and Energy, the project has significantly improved water infrastructure. It involved renewing 150 kilometers of pipelines, upgrading and extending another 150 kilometers of distribution networks, building and rehabilitating multiple water towers, and installing around 60 public standpipes across Libreville and surrounding areas. 'The African Development Bank spared no effort to make this program a reality,' said Minister Tonangoye. 'Some of these installations had not seen a single drop of water in ten years. My gratitude goes to the Bank for its commitment to Gabon.' President Adesina receives top Gabonese honor Ahead of the inauguration, Gabonese President Oligui Nguema conferred on Adesina the insignia of Grand Officer of the Order of the Gabonese Merit, one of Gabon's highest civilian honors, in a ceremony witnessed by his wife, Grace Adesina. Recognized for his visionary leadership, Akinwumi Adesina—dubbed 'Africa's Chief Optimist'—will complete his second and final ten-year term as President of the African Development Bank Group on 31 August. Since 2015, he has led transformative projects across Africa under the Bank's five strategic priorities, the 'High 5s' ( Through these priorities, 565 million people have seen their lives transformed. In the water sector alone, 63 million people gained access to clean water and 34 million to sanitation services. Flagship projects in Gabon For decades, the Bank has supported Gabon's socioeconomic development by helping diversify strategic sectors. It is now Gabon's leading infrastructure partner. Among flagship projects, the Bank financed the New Owendo International Port. With a capacity of four million tonnes per year, this multi-purpose port (minerals, timber, containers) has reduced handling costs by 30% and become a critical link in Gabon's logistics chain. In this context, the Gabonese President took Dr. Adesina on a tour of the La Baie des Rois Special Investment Zone, located 18 km from the port. The maritime façade of the Gabonese capital aims to be modern to attract international real estate investors to revitalize the country's economy and create wealth for the population. The Bank is also helping Gabon develop the Kinguélé Aval hydroelectric power station—the country's first energy PPP—which will add 40 megawatts of reliable, affordable, and clean energy. It is also financing the Ndende-Doussala road, a key segment of the Libreville-Brazzaville corridor that will connect Gabon and Congo and boost regional integration. With an active portfolio of $61.26 million, the African Development Bank Group's strategy in Gabon focuses on two priority areas: supporting the development of sustainable infrastructure to drive industrialization, and strengthening economic governance and the business climate to promote social inclusion. Following the inauguration, President Oligui Nguema and Akinwumi Adesina visited two families in separate districts that were once severely impacted by water shortages. They also toured the National School for Hearing-Impaired Children, which serves hundreds of students. Since gaining access to clean drinking water, the school has seen a significant improvement in hygiene conditions. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Dr. Adesina's speech (French) ( Pictures ( Contact: Romaric Ollo Hien Communication and External Relations Department media@ About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information:


Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
What Trump can learn from the Gulf about doing business in Africa
Four years ago, DP World signed a $1 billion trade corridor agreement with the Ethiopian government. The plan: link the logistics giant's port in Berbera, Somaliland, with Ethiopia — a landlocked nation of 120 million people. It wasn't aid. It wasn't a photo op. It was business: strategic, long-term, unapologetically calculated. During my seven years as Dubai Chamber's Chief Representative for Ethiopia covering the Horn of Africa region, I saw the impact of bold, early investment. The Gulf didn't wait for African markets to 'stabilise'. It moved quickly — into ports, infrastructure, agribusiness, and tech — while others hesitated. Now, as the Trump White House prepares to host an Africa trade and investment summit, the US has a chance to reposition itself. But that means showing up with more than handshakes. It means taking Africa seriously — the way the Gulf, and China, already do. Bet early bet big In many sectors, the UAE has already outpaced China. In 2022 and 2023, the UAE committed $97 billion to new investments across Africa — spanning sectors such as renewable energy, ports, mining, real estate, telecoms, agriculture, and manufacturing, according to fDi Markets. These aren't vanity projects. They're strategic investments designed to serve both Gulf supply chains and African growth. Saudi Arabia is moving too. In 2024, it pledged $41 billion in funding to low-income Sub-Saharan countries. By contrast, the US has remained cautious and slow. But Trump's deal-making instincts could resonate in Africa — home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies and increasingly pragmatic leadership. The danger is doing the deals without a plan. Without a long-term strategy, it's just another missed opportunity. From aid to trade Africa doesn't need charity. It needs business — fair, forward-looking, and grounded in mutual benefit. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is set to become a $3.4 trillion economic bloc, connecting over 50 countries and 1.3 billion people. It will be the largest single market in the world by number of participants. The Gulf got the memo years ago. Sovereign wealth funds like ADQ and Mubadala are investing in logistics, food processing, and digital infrastructure — not as favors, but because the returns are real. China moved even earlier with its Belt and Road Initiative, though not without missteps. If the US wants to compete, it needs to move beyond outdated aid frameworks — and focus on deals that still matter a decade from now. Engage the diaspora and mean it As the US representative for the Pan African Chamber of Commerce, I've watched too many diaspora professionals left out of investment conversations. That's a mistake. The Gulf is doing the opposite. Investors are tapping diaspora talent — especially in fintech, logistics, and health tech — because they know how to navigate both worlds. Nigerian-Americans, for example, are among the most educated and economically active US immigrant communities. But their insight rarely informs US-Africa strategy. A smarter approach would bring them in — not as symbolic advisers, but as partners driving capital and execution. Don't sleep on agribusiness Africa's food economy is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2030, according to the African Development Bank. The Gulf is already investing in agritech, cold storage, and processing — not just for African markets, but to secure its own food systems. The US, despite its global leadership in agricultural tech, has been largely absent. That's a lost opportunity. Trump's team should prioritise cross-border agricultural ventures tied to AfCFTA — projects that generate jobs and deliver returns for US investors. AGOA is no longer enough China is now moving to offer African countries tariff-free access to its market — just as America's African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is set to expire in 2025. AGOA has had an impact, but it hasn't shifted supply chains or brought in the long-term capital Africa needs. In some cases, it's even delayed the push toward more sustainable and competitive industries. Africa now needs a new framework — one that supports value-added production, regional integration, and smarter financing to reduce risk for investors. If Trump wants to create something meaningful in the US, he should look to the playbook of sovereign wealth funds like Abu Dhabi's ADQ or Saudi Arabia's PIF — both deeply invested in Africa, both thinking long term. The bottom line Over two decades working across US, and African markets, I've learned this: Africa doesn't need more handouts. It needs real partners. The Gulf got that early. China moved even faster. The US still has a shot — but only if it brings capital, consistency, and a clear strategy to the table. Doing business in Africa isn't without risk — as DP World experienced when Djibouti's government seized control of a container terminal it had built and operated, prompting international arbitration where the logistics giant was awarded $200 million in damages. But the investment landscape is changing. More African leaders are increasingly thinking like investors. Rwanda secured a 60 per cent investment from Qatar Airways in its $1.3 billion international airport — and likely a stake in its state airline. Etihad, meanwhile, has signed a codeshare deal with Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest carrier, connecting Abu Dhabi to most capitals on the continent. Both are smart plays — linking the Gulf to fast-growing economies and underserved aviation markets, with long-term returns for Doha and the UAE. Trump talks a lot about winning. In Africa, the next frontier for global growth, winning starts with showing up — and staying the course. The writer is a US-based global business strategist and Founder of Teba Connects.