Nairobi skyscraper set to be Africa's tallest building

Work commences on 300-m-high Pinnacle in Nairobi.

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta has laid the foundation stone for a Nairobi skyscraper destined to be the tallest building in Africa when it opens in 2020.

The twin glass-encased towers, the taller of which will stand at 300m, are currently under construction in Upper Hill, not far from Uhuru Park, an upmarket Nairobi neighbourhood which hosts numerous embassies and international organisations.

The Pinnacle is backed with a $200-million fund by Dubai-based investors Hass Petroleum and White Lotus Group, while the project is being built by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC).

America's Hilton chain of exclusive hotels will operate a 255-room hotel at the Pinnacle which will also host elite residences, and retail and entertainment facilities including an outdoor pool and helipad.

With an estimated completion date of December 2019, the towers are set to far surpass the continent's current tallest building, the 223-m Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.