Hollywood movie star Lupita Nyong’o has acquired a “significant” stake in Nairobi City Thunder as the club seeks to raise at least $50 million (Sh6.5 billion) in its quest to become a permanent member of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) franchise.
Lupita, 43, announced on Instagram, ahead of Saturday's Kenya Basketball Federation Men’s Premier League Finals play-offs pitting Thunder against Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
“Taking a tunnel walk to celebrate that I’m an investor in the Nairobi City Thunder. 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. TWENDE! Big weekend ahead with the start of the KNBL Finals! Wishing everyone on and off the court a great time!!” the actress, who notably starred in Black Panther (2018), Us (2019) and The Odyssey (2026), wrote.
Lupita Nyong'o speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative 2026 Annual Meeting in New York City, US., September 22, 2026.
Photo credit: Reuters
Speaking to Nation Sports, Thunder Team Manager Bernett Ojay confirmed Lupita’s investment, but declined to disclose the amount.
“I still don’t have the accurate and specific details yet of the deal, so I’m not in a position to tell you a specific percentage of her stake, but I can confirm to you that it’s a significant investment that she has made,” said Ojay.
The official said they were seeking to raise the capital required to meet the investment threshold for a permanent BAL franchise.
“If you want to follow this closely, there is something about the NBA and teams in Africa becoming permanent franchises in the BAL. For that to happen, a team actually needs to have a minimum of $50 million," Ojay explained.
"The money is not required simply to finance a single season. Rather, it is part of the investment required for a team seeking a permanent place in the league. So this is money for just being on that table and becoming a permanent franchise,” he said.
Acquired by Twende Sports Ltd, a sports investment vehicle, in August 2023, the company converted the club into a fully professional outfit with players and coaches on contracts.
“This didn’t just start the other day. We began looking for investors and raising money three years ago because we aim to be permanent at BAL. It has been an ongoing process, and that is why Lupita’s coming on board is very significant to us given her stature and capital. That tells you because of the kind of vision and direction we have, we have people believing in it,” Ojay added.
Under the franchise model, teams would also require facilities of their own, including a home arena.
“You see the way teams in the NBA each have their own home. It is not like you want to play your game and have to go and book Nyayo Stadium. You have your own stadium where you can also generate revenue from ticket sales and merchandise sales. So when I’m talking about the $50 million investment, that is just to come to the table first. After that, there is more that you have to do because those are just a small part of the requirements,” he said.
From left: Nairobi City Thunder basketball club chief of staff Marcel Awori, president and CEO Colin Rasmussen, assistant coach Rose Mshilla and team manager Bernet Ojay in Nairobi on November 28, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
“I can confirm to you our target is raising the minimum $50 million first, which is no small feat. That is the starting point for now,” he said.
Nairobi City Thunder became the first Kenyan team to play in the Basketball Africa League in 2025, in the BAL’s fifth season. The League is organized by the NBA and FIBA.
In Shauri Moyo, the club has undergone rebranding since its acquisition by Twende Sports Limited.
“Unlike many local players who juggle sports with other jobs, all our players are fully contracted professionals. For them, basketball is not just passion but a full-time career,” Sandra Kimokoti, co-founder and Chief Business Officer, told the Business Daily in a previous interview.
Players earn six-figure salaries. To fund operations, Kimokoti said they primarily depend on private investments.
“We also generate revenue through strategic sponsorships and sale of branded merchandise,” she added.
NBA Africa chief executive Clare Akamanzi announced this week in New York that BAL would start having permanent, privately owned teams to attract global capital for the first time.
Speaking at the Unstoppable Africa 2026 forum on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Akamanzi said the league would give African and global investors the chance to “own teams permanently, in perpetuity”, with the backing of the NBA and FIBA.
NBA Africa plans to sell as many as 10 franchises. The NBA and FIBA have hired Moelis & Company -- a global investment bank that provides financial advisory services to corporations, governments, and financial sponsors -- to manage the process and vet buyers, with priority going to markets that can demonstrate infrastructure readiness, financial capacity and sports management expertise.
The 10 owned teams would be joined each year by two qualifiers, keeping the league at 12 clubs. For the last six seasons, the BAL has operated as a 12-team, 12-country competition.
According to Akamanzi, the six seasons presented as evidence that both fans and brands would pay for the product.
Nairobi City Thunder players celebrate with the Kenya Basketball Federation Men's Premier League trophy at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi on September 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
“We showed that Africans are actually ready to consume sport,” she said, pointing to audiences in Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Morocco and Egypt.
The league concluded last season with 22 marketing partners, most of them African brands. Broadcasters including Canal+ carried games across the continent.
BAL data shows that over 110,000 fans attended the league’s games in South Africa, Morocco and Rwanda. The league reached fans in more than 200 countries and territories, including all 54 countries in Africa.
The BAL games also drew a 10-fold year-over-year increase in total watch hours on BAL.NBA.com and the NBA App, and 1.1 billion views on social media. The league also had a record 22 commercial and institutional partners.
