23/04/2026
That is it.
Dear landlords. It is 2026.
You are charging 25,000 shillings for a one-bedroom in Nairobi, and you cannot include Wi-Fi?
A one bedroom.
25,000 shillings.
No parking. No gym. No lift. Sometimes no water for 3 days.
But the rent is still 25,000.
And you are telling me Wi-Fi is too much to ask for?
Let me explain something to you.
Wi-Fi is not a luxury anymore. It is infrastructure. It is as basic as electricity and water.
Some of us make our entire rent from that Wi-Fi connection.
I create content from my house. I build websites from my house. I attend client meetings from my house. I run businesses from my house.
All of it depends on the internet.
Without Wi-Fi I cannot work. If I cannot work, I cannot pay your rent. See how that works?
And before you say "just buy your own router," let me do the math for you.
A decent internet package in Nairobi costs 3,500 to 5,000 shillings per month. Per tenant. Now multiply that by 20 tenants in your building all buying separate connections. That is 20 routers. 20 installations. 20 separate bills.
Or you could install one building-wide Wi-Fi system. Split the cost across all units. Add 500 shillings to the rent. Everyone has internet. Everyone is happy.
But you will not do that.
Because you are still operating your rental business like it is 2005.
Here is what modern housing should include in 2026.
Reliable water. Not "water comes on Tuesdays and Saturdays."
Stable electricity with backup. Not "generator runs from 6pm to 10pm only."
Wi-Fi. Built into the building. Included in the rent.
Secure parking. Not "park at your own risk."
A clean compound. Not overgrown grass and broken lights.
These are not luxuries. These are basics.
Your tenants are remote workers. Content creators. Freelancers. Online business owners. Digital marketers.
The world has changed.
Your apartments should change with it.
You want to charge premium rent?
Offer a premium experience.
Otherwise, someone down the road will.
And your tenants will move there.
With their Wi-Fi needs and their 25,000 shillings.
Think about that.
— Elvis W.
