Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon’s 23rd Edition Hits Record KES 273 Million Sponsorship

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 22 – The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon has achieved a landmark milestone, securing a record combined sponsorship of KES 273 million for its upcoming 23rd edition scheduled for October 25, 2026.​

Standard Chartered has committed KES 130 million to the event, with corporate and development sponsors contributing an additional KES 143 million in cash and in-kind support, More than 30,000 runners representing 102 nationalities, including over 400 elite athletes, are expected to participate.

The 2026 marathon features 56 sponsor partnerships a 30% increase from the 43 sponsors onboarded in 2025.

Total funding represents a 17% increase over the KES 233 million raised in 2025 and a 58% jump compared to 2024’s KES 173 million, reflecting the growing commitment of Standard Chartered and Kenya’s corporate and development sponsors to purpose-driven sports sponsorship.

The additional support will enhance race operations, including runner safety and welfare, nutrition and hydration, technology, transport and logistics, while extending the marathon’s long-term community impact.

The significant sponsor contributions includes; KES 13 million from Tetra Pak as a hydration sponsor, KES 9.8 million from Healthy U in support of GU gels, KES 8.6 million from ORS as an electrolyte sponsor; KES 7.8 million from Little Limited as the accreditation sponsor, KES 5.8 million from Rohto as the relief station sponsor.

Additionally, KES 5 million from Blue Band in support of a mist station, KES 5 million from Unicaf as the sustainability sponsor, KES 4.5 million from Reload as a isotonic sponsor and KES 4.4 million from Coca-Cola as the refreshment sponsor.

Further, Nike and Spiro will make their debut as marathon sponsors, contributing KES 5 million and KES 4 million, respectively. Nike joins as the official apparel sponsor, while Spiro will support the marathon’s entertainment offering.

Chairman of the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon Local Organising Committee, David Mwindi said the collective investment would strengthen race delivery and deepen the marathon’s impact beyond race day.

“This record KES 273 million investment reflects the shared commitment of Standard Chartered and our sponsors to delivering a world-class marathon with lasting impact”.

“Beyond creating a safe and memorable experience for more than 30,000 runners, this support enables us to expand opportunities for young people through employability, entrepreneurship and skills development”,said Mr Mwindi.

“We are grateful to every sponsor helping us make this year’s marathon our most impactful yet”.

Joyce Kibe, Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing for Kenya and Africa at Standard Chartered, emphasized the event’s dual return on investment.

“The marathon brings together more than 30,000 runners, clients, colleagues, communities and visitors from around the world giving brands a powerful platform to connect with people while creating measurable value for Nairobi and its communities”, said Ms Kibe.

“Numbers alone do not define a great runner experience. What matters is how people feel and what they remember”.

The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon is one of the Bank’s most strategic global brand platforms. It ranks among the top three of Standard Chartered’s 10 flagship running events across four continents, within a global platform that reaches approximately 250,000 runners.

Nairobi combines mass participation, client and colleague engagement, international visibility and community impact, making it one of the Group’s largest and most consequential running properties.

Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL) has contributed KES 10 million as the 21 km Half Marathon rights holder

Alice Mwalimo, KWAL’s Commercial Director while speaking on KWAL’s contribution said: “Our sponsorship of the 21 km Half Marathon reflects KWAL’s commitment to supporting active lifestyles and shared community experiences.”

“We are pleased to contribute to an event that brings together runners of different abilities while creating lasting social impact beyond the finish line”.

Other sponsors supporting the marathon include: East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) Harley’s Limited, Carrefour Supermarkets, Unilever, Peptang, PZ Cussons, Molfix and Molped, G4S, Accurate Steel Mill, Orbit, Razco Limited, Indomie, Kenya Pipeline, Old Spice, Ariel and Downy, Panadol Extra Soluble, Eden Cabs and Beta Healthcare.

Greenspoon, La Roche, Dairyland, Fitbeat and Jadah Spas Limited are the fruit, sunscreen, ice cream, fitness and wellness, and post-run recovery support sponsors, respectively, completing the nutrition and recovery sponsor category.

The event operations and infrastructure sponsors include PTG for kit fulfilment; AAR Healthcare and Aga Khan University Hospital for emergency and medical support; BasiGo for transport and NTT for data and connectivity.

Takataka and JLL (Hurricane Global) are supporting cleaning, while CFAO is providing the lead car, Kisskids is providing lactation stations, and Uchumi is supporting parking and shelving.

Magical Kenya, Jambojet, KWS and Kenya Airways are supporting the marathon’s sports tourism offering, while Ole Sereni and Hyatt Regency are the hospitality sponsors. CBM is supporting inclusion, with Nation Media Group and BPR Agency serving as the media partners.

Starting and finishing at Uhuru Gardens, the route will run along the Southern Bypass and feature the 42 km Full Marathon, 21 km Half Marathon, 10 km Road Race, 21 km Wheelchair Race and 5 km Family Fun Run, as well as the CEO Challenge and Corporate Challenge.

Since its inception, the marathon has attracted more than 345,000 participants and raised approximately KES 520 million for programmes supported through the Standard Chartered Foundation.

The programmes focus on employability, entrepreneurship and skills development for young people, women and people with disabilities.

The event is organised in partnership with the Nairobi City County, the Ministry of Sports, Athletics Kenya, KeNHA, and KURA, adhering strictly to global standards set by World Athletics, Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and the Ministry of Health.