Meet Cleophas , The Man Who Quit A Government Job To Build A Multi-Million Construction Company

Cleophas Nyagaka is the founder and chief executive officer of Fine Urban Construction and Interiors, a Kenyan company specialising in interior design, construction, and real estate development. His journey from employment at a government agency to running a multimillion-shilling business demonstrates how passion and determination can transform an idea into a thriving enterprise.

Growing up, Nyagaka developed a strong interest in interior design. Even as a child, he would decorate his mother’s house with artwork, displaying an eye for creativity that would later shape his career.

His educational journey took him to South Africa, where a sponsor helped finance his studies in real estate. Upon returning to Kenya, he secured employment at the National Construction Authority. Despite earning a good salary, he remained passionate about transforming residential and commercial spaces.

“Even in professional settings, I would find myself analysing rooms during meetings, contemplating how I would enhance their appeal,” Nyagaka told Business Daily in June 2023.

Driven by his dream, he established a small workshop specialising in designing and selling household furnishings. The venture eventually evolved into Fine Urban Construction and Interiors.

Like many entrepreneurs, Nyagaka faced challenges in building his brand and gaining customers’ trust. He sometimes approached clients who had purchased furniture from his workshop and offered to redesign or repaint their homes for free to showcase his skills.

His breakthrough came when he secured a contract to design the interiors of a hotel in Samburu. He reinvested the proceeds into better office space in Nairobi and recruited additional employees.

The company subsequently expanded from interior design into full-scale construction, responding to clients seeking modern homes with improved functionality.

From an initial workforce of two people, Fine Urban Construction and Interiors grew to employ more than 30 permanent staff members, alongside contract workers.

Nyagaka credits digital marketing and social media, particularly YouTube, for helping the company attract clients from Kenya and other African countries, including Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.

Inspired by international travels and local architectural traditions, he hopes to venture into manufacturing interior furnishings using locally sourced materials.

He also hopes to collaborate with Kenyans in the diaspora seeking investment opportunities in the country’s real estate sector.

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