The NBA Effect, the BK Arena and How it’s boosting Rwanda’s Rising Basketball Economy

Rwanda’s love for basketball is reaching new heights, thanks to the presence of the NBA and the burgeoning Basketball Africa League (BAL). The sport is not just a pastime but a rapidly growing phenomenon. Central to this meteoric rise is the Bank of Kigali (BK) Arena, a hub for basketball enthusiasts and now a symbol of Rwanda’s sporting ambitions.

The BK Arena is at the epicentre of Rwanda’s basketball renaissance. This state-of-the-art facility, home of BAL, can accommodate up to 10,000 spectators and is becoming a significant economic driver. 

BAL is a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA. It is a professional league in its fourth season, featuring 12 African clubs. Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Africa has organised across the continent and represents the NBA’s  investment in an NBA branded league outside of the US and the most consequential recognition of the US African sports to date.

BAL’s CEO is a Rwandan named Claire Akamanzi. 

In June last year, BAL and RDB made an announcement that would benefit BK Arena. It was an extension of their current collaboration that will see the BAL continue to stage games at the BK Arena each season, including the BAL Playoffs and finals this year, 2026, and 2028. 

With the same extension, ‘Visit Rwanda’, the country’s marketing and tourism initiative, would continue as a BAL Foundational and host partner showcased on all BAL team uniforms. Visit Rwanda is the tourism and marketing initiative of the RDB, a government institution responsible for fast-tracking Rwanda’s economic development by enabling private sector growth. 

Much as the saying goes about sports being a means to wealth, BAL has become a key player in making basketball a household conversation in Rwanda. Being the first pan-African professional basketball league, BAL brought Rwanda’s Patriots Basketball Club to compete at the BK Arena, with rapper J. Cole on the team, further cementing local interest.

This year, you can almost feel that basketball is slowly becoming integral to Rwanda’s cultural and social fabric. The country's success in embracing basketball demonstrates how sports can drive national pride, international recognition, and economic empowerment, with the Bank of Kigali continuing to be a corporate champion.

Building a basketball ecosystem has already contributed to positive spillovers fueling immense growth for the Rwandan economy, from investment in job creation, ticket sales, licensed merchandise, and strategic sponsorship opportunities. This influx of tourists and basketball enthusiasts has increased business for local hotels, restaurants, and other service providers, creating a favourable economic ripple effect throughout Kigali.

“The BAL has proven to be a great unifier, and we remain committed to showcasing the best Rwanda has to offer in terms of tourism, investment opportunities, talent development, Made in Rwanda products and much more to the world.  With the BAL and other major events, Rwanda is the home for sport in Africa,” said RDB in a statement.

The BAL teams and leagues directly employ hundreds of staff, and one particular BAL tournament will undoubtedly fill particular hotels, bringing business to vendors and drumming up Rwanda’s MICE industry.

BAL and BK announced a collaboration earlier this year to drive fan attendance and elevate the in-arena experience throughout the tourney week. Bank of Kigali joined BAL’s roster of partners, including Foundational Partners Rwanda Development Board, NIKE, Jordan Brand, and Wilson, and marketing partners Afreximbank, Castle Lite, Hennessy, and RwandAir, the country’s national airline.

According to its CEO, Yvonne Makolo, Rwandair continues as BAL's official airline and facilitates travel to and from Kigali for select BAL teams and staff.

Luke Tyburski of Africa Center argues that BAL also builds people-to-people ties. “The BAL itself is effectively a product of US-Africa basketball linkages and the culmination of growing engagement, including the NBA Academy Africa and NBA Africa Games, which have been played on the continent since 2015”, says Tyburski in his blog. 

To date, activities have included NBA Special Olympics and coaches' clinics, an environmental day of service, and innovation summits that brought together African leaders from business, entertainment, sports, social entrepreneurship, and beyond to discuss the enormous growth opportunities on the continent.

Kigali has also hosted workshops for young women from the local community as part of BAL4HER, the league’s platform for advancing gender equality in the African sports ecosystem and celebrating women in the sports industry who serve as role models to young women across the continent.