In 2021 Kigali Arena signed a contract with Rwandan singer Bruce Melodie for him to be its brand ambassador for the next three years with a shared objective to position the venue as a regional entertainment hub.

[4] Construction of the Kigali Arena, a joint project of the Rwandan government through the Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) and Turkish firm Summa, began in January 2019.

[5] Construction progressed at a fast rate, with around 1,000 to 2,000 people employed to work on the project both in day and night shifts.

It has hosted the finals of the 2019 Rwandan National Basketball League, selling out multiple games.

[9][10] In 2021, Kigali Arena played host to the inaugural edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and the 2021 Afrobasket championship.