On the fast lane: infrastructural acceleration in times of emergency

African cities, and Nairobi in particular, are witnessing a surge in large-scale connective infrastructure projects. These projects are framed as drivers of economic growth and emblems of urban modernity, requiring urgent implementation to address persistent infrastructure deficits. While delays and protracted timelines are common in such projects, instances of rapid implementation remain unexplored. This paper examines the accelerated construction of the Nairobi Expressway during the COVID-19 pandemic to unpack the temporal politics of infrastructure development. Drawing on a qualitative study, we show how infrastructure becomes a site where multiple local and global forces intersect to shape both the timing and pace of execution. We deploy the concept of acceleration as an alternative analytical lens to interrogate these infrastructural temporalities. We argue that the expressway’s accelerated implementation was a deliberate process of temporal manipulation through strategic state restructuring. Moreover, we demonstrate how moments of crisis can catalyse and reconfigure urban processes.