Mr Eazi supports a programme offering direct win bonuses to Kenyan volleyball players.
The singer met volleyball players and officials in Nairobi as betPawa outlined direct, equal bonuses for winning men’s and women’s teams.
Mr Eazi has backed a programme offering Kenyan volleyball players Sh4,000 each after a league victory. The Nigerian Afrobeats singer visited Kenya for two days to discuss the financial rewards with players, team managers and federation officials.
The meeting, organised with the Kenya Volleyball Federation at Hyatt Place Nairobi, came ahead of the 2026/27 National League season. It focused on betPawa’s Locker Room Bonus initiative, which links additional payments to winning performances.
Mr Eazi supports direct player payments
Under the arrangement, 14 players and two technical officials from each winning team will receive Sh4,000 each. The programme will send the payments directly to their mobile money wallets after league victories.
Charles Nyaberi, Team Kenya’s overall team manager, said players would receive their money immediately rather than wait days. He also said coaches would not collect payments on behalf of players.
Meanwhile, country manager Crispus Mogere said men’s and women’s teams would receive equal bonuses for each win. The payments supplement existing salaries and sponsorships, rather than replace them.
The initiative began in the 2022/23 season and has since expanded across several African countries. These include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana.
The singer, whose full name is Oluwatosin Ajibade, chairs Choplife Gaming and serves as the programme’s ambassador. He argued that athletes deserve financial rewards, framing the payments as fair compensation rather than a favour.
Entertainers expand their role in sport
Beyond volleyball, celebrity investment is also gaining ground in Kenyan basketball. Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o recently announced that she had joined Nairobi City Thunder’s ownership group.
The club became the first Kenyan team to qualify for the Basketball Africa League. In an Instagram video announcing her investment, Nyong’o expressed excitement and pride in supporting the team.
Musician Bien-Aimé Baraza and his wife, Chiki Kuruka, have also joined the club as brand ambassadors and equity investors. Their involvement combines promotional roles with a financial stake in the team.
Internationally, entertainers have taken similar routes into sport. Jay-Z previously owned a minority stake in the Brooklyn Nets before selling it in 2013. He later expanded into athlete representation through Roc Nation Sports.
Similarly, Ed Sheeran became Ipswich Town’s shirt sponsor in 2021 before acquiring a minority stake in 2024. These ventures illustrate how entertainers’ sporting interests now extend beyond performances and endorsements into sponsorship, ownership and athlete support.
