Nairobi introduces new film and noise permit fees under Finance Act

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has addressed concerns regarding the Nairobi City County Finance Act, 2026, clarifying that new filming fees are intended for professional commercial productions rather than individual social media content creators. Sakaja stated that the charges target large-scale projects requiring significant use of public infrastructure, such as road closures or specialized equipment, rather than ordinary influencers or young people.

Under the new regulations, local commercial filming will incur a fee of Ksh8,000 per shoot, while external commercial filming will cost Ksh50,000. Religious or private filming will also be charged Ksh8,000.

Additionally, the Finance Act introduces new noise permit fees to combat noise pollution. Short-term night events may face charges up to Ksh100,000. Specific fees include Ksh20,000 for weddings in residential areas, Ksh10,000 for garden weddings, and varying rates for roadshows based on vehicle size. Churches and mosques will be required to pay an annual Noise Emission Control Permit of Ksh5,000. The county has also implemented a Ksh20,000 permit for noisy construction activities such as excavation and demolition.