Zaria Court Kigali officially opened its doors last night with a landmark launch event, marking a defining moment for African urban infrastructure.
The flagship $26 million mixed-use development is the first from Zaria Group, Africa’s leading developer of sports, entertainment, and cultural infrastructure, which NBA Champion Masai Ujiri co-founded in partnership with Helios Sports and Entertainment Group.
The grand opening welcomed hundreds of dignitaries, cultural leaders, international guests, and youth advocates to celebrate the launch of the continent’s new premier destination for sports, culture, and community.
Held adjacent to Kigali’s iconic BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium, the evening featured remarks from key stakeholders and welcomed notable attendees, including Aliko Dangote, Chiney Ogwumike, Amadou, Gallo Fall, Robin Roberts, Michael Blackson, Fred Swaniker, and Clare Akamanzi.
The event showcased Zaria Court’s mission to create vibrant cultural districts that serve Africa’s growing middle class, creatives, and next-generation entrepreneurs.
“Today marks more than the opening of a building – it’s the beginning of something transformational. Zaria Court represents everything we’ve dreamed of: a place where African excellence takes center stage, where our youth see unlimited possibility, and where culture and community thrive together.
This is our vision for the continent’s future – bold, authentic, and unapologetically African.
We’re not just building venues; we’re building the foundation for Africa’s cultural renaissance, because we know that courts create communities, venues create value, ecosystems create economies,” said Masai Ujiri, Co-Founder and Partner of Zaria Group.
Strategic Vision Anchors Sports-Led Development Model
Zaria Court Kigali is the first physical manifestation of Zaria Group’s arena ecosystem strategy – a proven global model now adapted for Africa’s unique cultural and economic landscape.
The entire district is specifically designed to serve Africa’s young, urban population while creating sustainable economic opportunities, featuring:
- An 80-room boutique hotel and 2,000-person event space
- A podcast studio and creative co-working space
- Public basketball court, five-a-side football pitches, and a fitness gym
- A curated selection of restaurants, a sports bar, and retail outlets
- Public open space, including a playground for children
The development strategy leverages Rwanda’s position as a continental hub for innovation and governance, while establishing a blueprint for similar projects across major African cities.
What we’ve accomplished here in Kigali proves that Africa’s development potential is extraordinary when you combine vision with the right investment approach.
Andrew Feinstein, Managing Director and Partner of Zaria Group.
Zaria Court Kigali is projected to create over 500 quality jobs with a particular focus on opportunities for women and youth, including retail incubation programs for women-owned small and medium enterprises.
The project demonstrates growing institutional confidence in Africa’s sports and entertainment economy.
H.E. President Paul Kagame emphasized the project’s potential for catalysing transformation.
“Zaria Court, along with the ecosystem built around it, marks just the beginning. Its influence extends beyond Rwanda, reaching across our region and the continent.
It starts with a single initiative and continues to expand. There is tremendous potential to identify and nurture talent – potential that is, in fact, limitless.
What we cultivate here can connect with and elevate many other sectors. In Africa, the power of sport is undeniable; it unites people from all walks of life, every day and in every moment.
That shared spirit has the capacity to inspire growth and progress in numerous areas of development.”
Continental Expansion Strategy
The Kigali opening marks the beginning of Zaria Court’s ambitious expansion across major African cities. The company aims to have five flagship Zaria Court sites in major urban African markets open or under development by 2030.
“What we’ve accomplished here in Kigali proves that Africa’s development potential is extraordinary when you combine vision with the right investment approach.
Zaria Court demonstrates our methodology of transforming underutilized urban assets into vibrant economic engines that serve communities while generating sustainable returns.
This venue-centered ecosystem model creates authentic value – real jobs, real opportunities, real community impact.
And this is just the beginning. We’re taking this proven approach to cities across the continent because Africa deserves infrastructure that reflects its ambition and serves its people,” explained Andrew Feinstein, Managing Director and Partner of Zaria Group.
Strategic Partnerships Drive Success
The project’s success reflects strong institutional partnerships across the public and private sectors. BK Capital served as the investment banker, while the Bank of Kigali provided project financing, demonstrating local financial sector confidence in the sports-entertainment development model.
The equity partnership with Helios Sports and Entertainment Group (a subsidiary of Helios Investment Partners) brings deep expertise in African markets and infrastructure development, while the project’s integration with Rwanda’s existing venue ecosystem – including the BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium – creates synergies that benefit the entire sports and entertainment district.
Zaria Court Kigali was sustainably designed by Amsterdam-based NLÉ Works, founded by world-renowned African architect Kunle Adeyemi.
International design firm FBW served as the architect of record, and international project management firm MaceYMR served as project manager and lead engineer.
Rwanda-based Real Contractors was tasked with building Zaria Court, with Clayton Technologies implementing the project’s information technology.
The Zaria Court Hotel will be managed by Aleph Hospitality, Africa’s leading pan-African hotel management firm. And the Zaria Court campus will be managed by QA Venue Solutions, Africa’s leading pan-African venue management, development, and commercialization firm.
Building for Africa’s Creative Economy
The opening comes at a pivotal moment for African sports and entertainment, with increasing global investment in the continent’s cultural economy and growing recognition of Africa’s influence on worldwide trends in sports, music, fashion, and lifestyle.
The facility features purpose-built spaces for content creation, business incubation, and community gathering – addressing the continent’s need for infrastructure that supports entrepreneurial innovation at a pivotal moment of global investment in Africa’s cultural output.
