The origin of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Nairobi can be traced back to 1965 when the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering introduced a section in Agricultural Engineering focusing on Agricultural Process Engineering. The Department of Agricultural Engineering of University of Nairobi was established in 1975 originally as the Department of Agricultural Mechanization and Farm planning. The name was then changed in 1976 to Department of Agricultural Engineering.

The department of Electrical and Information Engineering opened in 1964 with 17 students in first year, 20 in second year and only 7 in third year. Since then the department continued to grow with assistance from USAID, UNESCO, NORAD, GERMAN COMMODITY AID, BRITISH COUNCIL and The Government of Kenya among others. The original name of the Department was Electrical and Electronic Engineering.