Sports and entertainment investor Masai Ujiri plans to build more hotels in Africa after completing Zaria Court Kigali, which cost him $25 million USD.
Masai was born in Bournemouth, England, in July 1970 to a Nigerian father and a Kenyan mother. When he was two years old, his parents moved to Zaria, Nigeria, where he grew up.From a young age, Masai devoted himself to basketball, supported by his parents. He went on to play for major teams in Europe, and after retiring, became Vice President of the Denver Nuggets in the United States and later President of the Toronto Raptors in Canada.
While leading the Toronto Raptors, Masai carried out various initiatives to support basketball, including building courts in African countries such as Rwanda. Igihe stated that ”He expanded his investments, starting with the construction of Zaria Court Kigali, which was completed in July 2025”.Zaria Group, owned by Masai and supported by investment firm Helios Investment Partners, plans to build at least four more hotels in Africa, each with sports and entertainment facilities similar to Zaria Court Kigali
.The investor has set his sights on major African cities, including Johannesburg (South Africa), Lagos (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana), and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire).Masai says, “We don’t have arenas on the continent and in major markets. There are no arenas in Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, and Abidjan.”
He noted that while the industrial, technology, and banking sectors are growing on the continent, sports is still neglected because Africans do not see it as a viable investment sector something he believes must change.In July 2025, Masai Ujiri, a well-known investor in basketball, officially opened Zaria Court Kigali, a project that cost him 25 million US dollars. This five-star complex, located in Kigali City, aims to combine tourism, conferences, sports, and entertainment at an international level.
One of Masai Ujiri’s achievement
Zaria Court Kigali features modern hotel rooms, executive suites, restaurants, sky bars, a spa, fitness facilities, and high-tech conference rooms. Its signature feature is its arena, capable of hosting major basketball and volleyball tournaments, concerts, and other large-scale events.
The project has created jobs for more than 300 people and is expected to boost sports-based tourism in Rwanda. Through Zaria Group, in partnership with Helios Investment Partners, Masai Ujiri plans to build four more hotels in Johannesburg, Lagos, Accra, and Abidjan, all with dedicated sports and entertainment facilities.
