Municipal Council of Nyeri

The history of Nyeri Town goes back to the beginning of the 20th century. At the turn of the century, the area where the built-up area of Nyeri town stands was in fact the large part of an uninhabited forested area; although there were agricultural holdings to the West (Tetu), to the Northwest (Kihuyo and Ihururu) and Gatitu to the south. The area towards Kiganjo (Northwards) was used fro grazing by the Maasai pastoralists.

The largest formal employer in Nyeri, being until recently the administrative headquarters of the former Central Province, is the Government of Kenya.

Nyeri has several technical training colleges, one university, Kimathi University College of Technology, which was recently upgraded from a technical college.The national state Police Training College is situated in the town. There is a Medical Training College, a government nursing school, two polytechnic colleges, and several private and public secondary and primary schools. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri runs several schools and colleges in Nyeri.

Nyeri is a popular destination for relaxation, business, entertainment, and educational/cultural tourism. The farms in and around Nyeri offer pristine scenery, and the grave of the scouting movement's founder, Lord Baden-Powell and his paxtu cottage are popular attractions. Nyeri is the burial place of Lord Robert Baden-Powell, a fighter in the Boer War and the founder of the Scouting movement, who once wrote "the nearer to Nyeri the nearer to bliss".