Oscar winning Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o has invested in Nairobi City Thunder, becoming the latest high profile entertainment figure to join the ownership group of one of Kenya’s leading basketball clubs, Pulse Kenya and ESPN reports. Nyong’o announced the investment on September 24, sharing a video of herself wearing the team’s merchandise and describing herself as proud to back the club. “The Nairobi City Thunder are the first Kenyan team to qualify for the Basketball Africa League, and I’m pumped and proud to be behind them,” she said. The financial value of her investment has not been publicly disclosed.
Nyong’o joins musician Bien Aimé Baraza and his wife Chiki Kuruka among entertainment personalities who have taken equity positions in Nairobi City Thunder. The club has rapidly established itself as a significant force in Kenyan basketball, becoming the first Kenyan team to qualify for the Basketball Africa League in 2024 before returning to the continental competition for a second consecutive campaign. Thunder secured their 2026 BAL qualification after winning the East Division Elite 16 tournament in Nairobi, defeating Johannesburg Giants 94 84 in the final. The club has also built a strong domestic record and is preparing to face Kenya Ports Authority in the 2026 Kenya National Basketball League Finals.
Nyong’o’s investment arrives as African basketball increasingly attracts commercial interest from brands, financial institutions and prominent private investors. Earlier this year, I&M Bank committed KSh10 million to Nairobi City Thunder as its official banking partner, supporting the team’s participation in the BAL and domestic competition. The club’s growing investor base reflects the broader commercial opportunities emerging around African basketball, including sponsorship, media, entertainment, merchandise and continental competition. For Nyong’o, whose career has made her one of Kenya’s most recognisable global cultural figures, the investment represents a move beyond traditional celebrity endorsements into direct participation in the business of Kenyan sport.
