Oscar-winning actress star Lupita Nyong’o has ventured into Kenyan basketball after investing in Nairobi City Thunder, joining the ownership group of the club that has made history as the first Kenyan team to qualify for the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
The actress announced her new investment on Thursday, September 24, sharing a video on Instagram of herself taking a stylish ‘tunnel walk’ while celebrating her latest venture.
“Taking a tunnel walk to celebrate that I’m an investor in the Nairobi City Thunder,” Nyong’o said, adding that she was ‘pumped and proud’ to back the team. She ended her message with an enthusiastic “Twende!” as she celebrated the club’s achievements.
Her investment comes at an exciting point for City Thunder, who are preparing for the Kenya National Basketball League (KNBL) Finals against Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
The best-of-five series is scheduled to tip off on Saturday, September 26, at Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa, with the second game set for Sunday at the same venue.
The action then moves to Nairobi for Game Three at Nyayo Gymnasium on October 2.
Nyong’o is also joining a growing list of entertainment personalities associated with the club.
Musician Bien-Aimé Baraza and his wife, Chiki Kuruka, recently joined Nairobi City Thunder as brand ambassadors and equity investors.
Their involvement has brought another layer of celebrity attention to a club whose profile has steadily grown beyond the basketball court.
The City Thunder club became the first Kenyan side to qualify for the BAL after winning the East Division Elite 16 tournament in 2024.
he team subsequently made its BAL debut and continued its continental campaign, securing another qualification in 2026 after winning the East Division Elite 16 title.
The 2026 triumph saw Thunder defeat Johannesburg Giants 94-84 in the final, further cementing the club’s place among the region’s emerging basketball forces.
At home, Thunder are also chasing another KNBL title.
The defending champions booked their place in the finals after sweeping Stanbic Shield 3-0 in their semifinal series.
For Nyong’o, whose career has taken her from Nairobi to some of the biggest stages in global cinema, the investment marks a move into a different kind of spotlight as one built around Kenyan sport and a team increasingly attracting attention both at home and across Africa.