Oscar-winning Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o has ventured into Kenyan sports after becoming an investor in Nairobi City Thunder, one of the country’s leading basketball clubs.
Nyong’o announced the investment through her social media platforms, sharing a video of herself taking a “tunnel walk” while wearing the team’s branded jacket.
“Taking a tunnel walk to celebrate that I’m an investor in the Nairobi City Thunder!” Nyong’o wrote. “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!”
Her investment comes as the club prepares to face Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the 2026 Kenya National Basketball League Finals. The best-of-five series begins on Saturday, with the opening games scheduled at Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa.
The Thunder have become a significant name in Kenyan basketball after making history as the first Kenyan club to qualify for the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The team made its BAL debut in 2025 and secured another qualification for the 2026 season after winning the East Division Elite 16 tournament in Nairobi.
Nyong’o’s investment also adds a prominent Kenyan entertainment figure to the club’s growing circle of supporters and investors.
Musician Bien-Aimé Baraza and his wife, Chiki Kuruka, recently joined the club as brand ambassadors.
