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. 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.

About Zaria Group

Zaria Group is Africa's leading developer and operator of sports, entertainment, and cultural infrastructure. Co-founded by NBA Champion Masai Ujiri in partnership with Helios Sports and Entertainment Group, the company catalyzes urban transformation through venue-centered ecosystems across major African cities. Operating through QA Venue Solutions (venue management) and Zaria Court (mixed-use developments), Zaria Group manages major venues including Kigali's BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium, while developing sustainable sports and entertainment districts that create thousands of jobs for Africa's youth and incubate new businesses across the continent.

 About Zaria Court

Zaria Court is Zaria Group's mixed-use development brand that creates vibrant cultural districts anchored by sports, powered by culture, and designed to spark social and economic transformation across Africa. The flagship Zaria Court Kigali, which opened in 2025 adjacent to Rwanda's major sports venues, features an 80-room hotel, event spaces, retail outlets, creative studios, and public programming specifically designed for Africa's young, urban population. By repurposing underperforming urban infrastructure in major African cities, Zaria Court serves as the premium lifestyle and cultural district brand for Africa's growing middle class, creatives, and next-generation entrepreneurs.

 About Helios Sports and Entertainment Group

Helios Sports and Entertainment Group (HSEG) is a strategic investment platform under Helios Investment Partners, focused on unlocking Africa’s potential through catalytic investments in the sports, entertainment, and media ecosystem. HSEG takes a visionary, long-term approach, backing ventures that drive both economic growth and cultural transformation across the continent. Its portfolio includes pioneering companies such as Zaria Group—Africa’s leading developer of arena-anchored entertainment districts; NBA Africa—expanding the global footprint of basketball through the Basketball Africa League; The Malachite Group—a high-growth enterprise building African sports IP and athlete development platforms; and the Professional Fighters League (PFL)—a global MMA brand expanding into Africa. By targeting scalable ventures at the intersection of sports, real estate, and youth-driven culture, Helios Sports and Entertainment Group positions itself as the most influential private sector actor shaping the future of African sports and entertainment.

About Aleph Hospitality

Aleph Hospitality is a dynamic hospitality investment and management platform building the next generation of premium leisure, dining, and lifestyle experiences across Africa. With a footprint in strategic urban centers—from Lagos and Accra to Nairobi and Kigali—Aleph curates culturally resonant hospitality brands that blend local authenticity with international standards. Their portfolio spans boutique hotels, destination restaurants, curated food halls, and wellness hubs, each thoughtfully designed to celebrate regional heritage while elevating service excellence. By forging strong partnerships with regional developers, Aleph ensures each venture not only delivers memorable guest experiences but also anchors vibrant mixed-use ecosystems that drive social and economic impact across the continent.

 About QA Venue Solutions

QA Venue Solutions is Africa’s premier venue management and operations company, specializing in the commercialization and optimization of sports and entertainment venues across the continent. QA brings global expertise and local insight to every project—offering turnkey services that include event booking, sponsorship sales, technical operations, and customer experience management. With flagship operations at BK Arena in Kigali and expanding partnerships across Africa, QA Venue Solutions is setting the standard for how African venues are run—efficiently, profitably, and with a deep commitment to community impact. Whether managing legacy arenas or launching new builds like the Arena-in-a-Box model, QA is the trusted partner for cities, teams, and promoters seeking to activate world-class venues in Africa’s fastest-growing markets.

 About NLE Works

Kunle Adeyemi is an internationally acclaimed architect, designer, and urbanist whose practice, NLÉ, is redefining architecture and urbanism in rapidly growing cities and water-based communities. With roots in Lagos and a global design portfolio, Kunle is best known for pioneering adaptive, climate-resilient architecture. Through NLÉ, he blends innovation with cultural context, developing transformative public spaces, cultural institutions, and infrastructure projects that respond to Africa’s environmental and urban challenges. NLÉ’s work bridges artistry and functionality, crafting architectural solutions that are as socially impactful as they are structurally bold. From waterfronts to urban districts, Kunle’s design philosophy continues to shape the built environment of the continent and inspire a new generation of African architects.