As the Chairman of Choplife Gaming and an ambassador for betPawa's Locker Room Bonus initiative, Mr Eazi is passionate about improving the welfare of African athletes. His vision is simple: whenever a team wins, players should receive their performance bonuses immediately after the final whistle.
This week, betPawa released verified figures highlighting the impact of the Locker Room Bonus program over the past year, showcasing how it has rewarded players and coaches across several African leagues.
To date, the initiative has distributed more than US$1.67 million (approximately RWF 2.37 billion) to over 7,000 playersfrom 387 teams, through more than 47,000 instant payments following over 3,000 matches played across Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Cameroon.
According to Mr Eazi, the initiative is about recognizing athletes' value and ensuring they receive the rewards they have earned without unnecessary delays.
"This isn't charity. These are professional athletes who worked hard to win and deserve to have their money in their hands immediately. That's how it should be because they've earned it," he said.
He added that making such a system successful requires collective effort and honest conversations about the challenges athletes continue to face.
The Locker Room Bonus program is built on a performance-based payment model, ensuring that winning players, coaches, and technical staff receive their bonuses immediately after a victory instead of waiting days or even months.
One of the program's biggest successes has been in Ghana, where players in the Malta Guinness Women's Premier League receive the same match-winning bonuses as players in the men's Premier League whenever they win a game.
The initiative was conceived by betPawa founder Kresten Buch, who noticed that many athletes were winning matches but often had to wait long periods before receiving their earnings.
What makes the program unique is its technology-driven payment system. Once results are verified using pawaPass, bonuses are transferred directly to each player's Mobile Money account before they even leave the dressing room.
"Equal payments for everyone aren't charity. We are rewarding competitiveness by paying those who win. That's the value created by the money we distribute," Buch said.
He emphasized that African athletes deserve to be rewarded not out of sympathy, but because they have earned it through their performances.
Looking ahead, betPawa plans to expand the Locker Room Bonus initiative into more African countries and additional sports beyond football and basketball.
As part of that expansion, the company recently added Kenya's Volleyball League after partnering with the Kenya Volleyball Federation, marking another step toward rewarding athletes across a wider range of sports.
Mr Eazi Wants African Athletes to Be Paid Instantly After Every Victory