Nairobi is set for another major addition to its sports and entertainment infrastructure, with a proposed 10,000-seater indoor arena planned as part of a Ksh.38.2 billion mixed-use development at Nairobi Railway City.
The project is being developed by Zaria Group, co-founded by Dallas Mavericks President Masai Ujiri, in partnership with US-based Helios Sports & Entertainment Group. The developers signed a long-term lease agreement with Kenya Railways on April 10, 2026, securing the site for the ambitious development in the heart of the capital.
The arena is expected to become the centrepiece of a wider entertainment district designed to host basketball and other indoor sporting events, concerts, conferences, exhibitions and cultural programmes.
Beyond the main arena, the multi-phase development will include a 140-room hotel, a 70-unit serviced apartment tower, retail outlets, restaurants, a public square and an amphitheatre, creating a destination that combines sport, entertainment, hospitality and commerce.
The Nairobi project represents an expansion of Zaria Group’s growing sports and entertainment portfolio across Africa. The company has previously been involved in developments and venue management in Rwanda, including Zaria Court Kigali and the commercialisation and management of the 10,000-capacity BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium.
The partners are now looking to take that experience into other major African cities, with Nairobi forming part of a wider expansion strategy that also targets markets such as Lagos and Johannesburg.
Management of the Nairobi complex is expected to be handled locally by Metroarena Development Company, a Zaria Group subsidiary, while QA Venue Solutions will oversee venue operations. The company has experience operating major sporting and entertainment facilities in Rwanda.
For Nairobi’s sporting fraternity, the proposed arena could provide a much-needed large-capacity indoor venue. The city currently has limited facilities capable of hosting major international indoor competitions alongside concerts and other large-scale events.
The project, however, remains at the pre-construction stage. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment has been submitted to the National Environment Management Authority for review, with members of the public given an opportunity to submit comments as part of the approval process.
There has been no groundbreaking yet, with construction targeted before the end of 2026 subject to the necessary environmental licence and other approvals.
The Railway City arena is part of Nairobi’s broader transformation of the central railway precinct into a mixed-use urban destination. It also adds a private-sector dimension to the country’s expanding sports infrastructure programme.
The proposed development follows major public and private investments in facilities such as the Nairobi Expressway and the wider Railway City regeneration programme, while complementing the government’s ongoing expansion of sports infrastructure, including the Talanta Sports City project.
