Zaria Court Kigali which was launched a few weeks ago.
Zaria Court Kigali which was launched a few weeks ago.
Masai Ujiri, the former Toronto Raptors executive and founder of Zaria Group, has said he has plans to take his $25m Zaria Court concept from Kigali to major African cities, building sports-focused hotels and arenas aimed at transforming the continent’s sports and entertainment landscape.
Opened in July in Kigali, Zaria Court combines an 80-room hotel with a 2,000-seat arena, two five-a-side football pitches, a gym and wellness centre, a sports bar, and a playground park.
Ujiri intends to replicate the model in cities including Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, and Abidjan, where he says the lack of arenas has long stunted the growth of sports and live entertainment.
“We lack arenas on the continent, even in the big markets,” he told Semafor. “Sports is suffering on the continent” due to inadequate facilities, a gap he hopes to close by building venues that can host both athletes and artists.
Rwanda has served as his launch-pad, aided by government support, including land allocation for the Kigali project. Tourism and sports have become central to Rwanda’s global image, with events such as the Basketball Africa League putting the country on the map for sports tourism.
During a recent visit, Ujiri told The New Times that President Paul Kagame’s partnerships with the NBA and global football clubs have “lifted our youth” and created platforms “that didn’t exist before.”
He said Zaria Court’s mission extends beyond hotels to inspiring the next generation to see sports as a gateway to education, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
“I want young people to believe they can be even bigger and better than I ever was,” he said, reflecting on his own upbringing in Zaria, Northern Nigeria. “I grew up with so many talented kids, and I know there’s so much in Africa that can be better and bigger.”
Ujiri acknowledged that expansion into other African markets may require raising more private capital and negotiating with host governments. But the goal, he said, is clear: “All these places need this... we’re going to talk to all these governments.”