Absa Celebrates Nairobi’s Historic 2029 World Athletics Championships Win

Nairobi, Kenya, September 18, 2026 — Absa Bank Kenya has welcomed Nairobi’s selection to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, describing the decision as a major milestone for Kenya, Africa and the global athletics community.

The bank congratulated Athletics Kenya, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, and generations of Kenyan athletes whose performances have helped build the country’s reputation as an athletics powerhouse.

World Athletics selected Nairobi on September 15, making Kenya the first African country to host the World Athletics Championships. The decision was announced after a council meeting in Budapest, with Munich awarded the 2031 edition.

For Absa, the announcement also marks a moment to highlight its long-running involvement in Kenyan athletics.

The bank says it has invested close to KSh2 billion in Kenya’s sports ecosystem over the past decade, including its support for two major athletics events — the Absa Kip Keino Classic and the Absa Sirikwa Classic Cross Country.

Absa links its athletics investment to Nairobi win

Absa has been the title sponsor of the Absa Kip Keino Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting held in Nairobi.

The event has given the capital regular experience in staging international athletes and large-scale athletics competitions.

The bank also supports the Absa Sirikwa Classic Cross Country in Eldoret, which is part of the World Athletics Gold Level Cross Country Tour.

Absa Bank Kenya Marketing and Corporate Affairs Director Mwihaki Wachira said the 2029 award represented the culmination of decades of work by Kenyan athletes and sports stakeholders.

“We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate this historic achievement for Kenya, Africa and the global athletics community,” Wachira said.

She said bringing the championships to Africa for the first time reflected the contribution of Kenyan athletes and the work of Athletics Kenya in developing the sport.

“For years, our investment in events such as the Absa Kip Keino Classic and Absa Sirikwa Classic has been driven by a belief that Kenya belongs on the global stage,” she said.

Nairobi gets its biggest athletics assignment yet

The 2029 championships will be the biggest athletics event ever staged on African soil.

Nairobi has previously hosted the World Athletics U18 Championships in 2017 and the World Athletics U20 Championships in 2021. The city will now move from hosting competitions for emerging athletes to welcoming the world's elite competitors.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described Kenya as one of the sport's great nations and said athletics was deeply embedded in the country.

The decision followed a competitive bidding process involving Nairobi and other international candidates. Nairobi had previously bid for the 2025 championships, which were eventually awarded to Tokyo.

Focus shifts to preparation

With the hosting rights secured, attention will now turn to whether Nairobi can deliver the infrastructure required for an event of this scale.

Kasarani Stadium is expected to be the main venue for the championships and is already undergoing renovation ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.

The preparations will require more than the stadium itself. Transport, accommodation, security, broadcasting facilities and other services will all form part of the wider hosting effort.

Kenyan officials have said investments in sports infrastructure are intended to improve the country's ability to stage major international competitions while also giving athletes better facilities at home.

Beyond sponsorship

Absa says its involvement in athletics also extends to athlete welfare.

The bank runs financial literacy programmes at training camps, aimed at helping athletes manage their earnings and plan for their financial futures.

That focus reflects a broader issue in professional sport: success on the track does not automatically translate into long-term financial security.

For Absa, the Nairobi 2029 announcement therefore provides an opportunity to underline a partnership that it says has developed beyond event sponsorship and into athlete development and financial education.

The World Athletics Championships will take place in Nairobi in 2029, marking the first time the sport's flagship global championships will be staged in Africa.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.