Nairobi City Thunder and M-KOPA Extend Partnership for the 2025/26 Season

Kenya’s basketball champions, Nairobi City Thunder and M-KOPA Kenya are excited to announce the renewal of their partnership for the 2025/26 season.

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The extension marks another milestone in a partnership that powered Thunder’s journey through the BAL Elite 16 Qualifiers and their historic run on the continental stage. The renewed agreement deepens M-KOPA’s investment in Thunder’s mission to defend their KNBL title and continue flying Kenya’s flag high across Africa.

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“We’re deeply grateful for M-KOPA’s continued belief in Nairobi City Thunder and in the future of Kenyan basketball. This partnership fuels our ambition to raise the standard of the game, expand access for young talent, and create opportunities that extend well beyond the court. We share a clear vision with M-KOPA to empower communities through sport—and together we’re committed to turning that vision into tangible impact for our fans, our players, and the next generation.”

— Colin Rasmussen, CEO, Twende Elite / Nairobi City Thunder

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The partnership includes enhanced visibility for M-KOPA across Thunder’s official gameday shorts, warm-up gear, and in-venue activations, as well as a strong digital presence through co-branded social media content celebrating ambition, progress, and community.

- Martin Kingori, GM M-KOPA Kenya

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“We're proud to continue our partnership with Nairobi City Thunder and the Twende team. We believe in supporting grassroots initiatives that unlock potential and create pathways for young Kenyans to dream bigger. Sport has a unique power to inspire communities and open doors that might otherwise remain closed. Watching Thunder compete on the continental stage has been truly special, and we commend the Twende team for their commitment to giving our players the platform they deserve. We're excited to stand with them as they continue to raise the bar for Kenyan basketball."

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The renewed partnership will run through the 2025/26 season, covering Thunder’s KNBL title defense and upcoming Road to BAL campaign. Both organizations remain focused on pushing boundaries, elevating Kenyan basketball, and creating opportunities that change lives.

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About M-KOPA

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M-KOPA is a leading inclusive fintech that transforms traditional barriers into opportunities for inclusive growth across Africa. Where others see obstacles in providing credit to those without formal salaries or credit histories, M-KOPA has built Africa's leading smart money platform "More than a Phone", processing over 1 million daily payments and unlocking over $2 billion in credit for more than 7 million customers.

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Operating across five African markets, M-KOPA provides affordable asset financing (smartphones & e-motorbikes) and digital financial services to micro-entrepreneurs excluded from traditional finance. Our smartphones become gateways to comprehensive digital financial services through their embedded services platform, with micro-repayment models that mirror how Every Day Earners actually earn and spend.

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M-KOPA serves 3 million active customers through micro-repayment models that align with their real income patterns, powered by proprietary technology and delivered through a network of over 30,000 sales agents across emerging markets.

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For more information contact visit: M-KOPA.com  

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About Nairobi City Thunder

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Nairobi City Thunder is Kenya’s most successful basketball team, the 2023/24 KNBL champions and the first Kenyan club to qualify for the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Powered by Twende Sports, Thunder represents the spirit of ambition, community, and excellence that defines Kenya’s new generation of athletes.The team continues to elevate the game of basketball locally and across the continent, building pathways for young talent and uniting fans under one rallying cry.

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For Media Inquiries

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Vince Oyolo – Media Lead, Nairobi City Thunder

📧 media@twendesports.com

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Reatile Tekateka – Director of Communications & External Affairs, M-KOPA

📧 press@m-kopa.com

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