Kobo Resources expands community impact to fourth village in Côte d'Ivoire

Kobo Resources Launches their KOBO CUP 2026 Jersey, Expanding Community Impact to a Fourth Village in Côte d’Ivoire

QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kobo Resources Inc. (“ Kobo ” or the “ Company ”) ( TSX.V: KRI ) ( FWB: Q1Z ) is pleased to announce KOBO CUP 2026. Following the success of the 2024 and 2025 editions, the KOBO CUP has become firmly rooted in the heart of our community and continues to evolve. This year, the event is expanding at every level: a fourth village is joining the competition, while new major sponsors are coming on board to help make this edition bigger and more impactful than ever.

Meet this year’s edition with the brand-new, limited-edition Kobo Cup 2026 jersey. More than just a piece of apparel, the jersey embodies the commitment of our partners: to turn every contribution into direct support for the communities we serve.

Edward Gosselin, CEO and Director of Kobo, commented: “In keeping with our commitment to transparency and direct community impact, 100% of the proceeds generated from the sale of this limited-edition jersey will be distributed directly among the four participating villages.”

While the jersey design has evolved for 2026, its foundations remain unchanged.

Returning this year are the six Adinkra symbols, which embody the principles upon which the Kobo Cup was built and represent our core values of leadership, resilience, adaptability and community strength.

At the base of the jersey is a subtle silhouette of Côte d’Ivoire’s iconic basilica. Celebrated as a national architectural landmark, it serves as a tribute to the country’s rich heritage and the cultural legacy of the region.

Finally, true to our commitment to celebrating the communities that bring this initiative to life, the sleeves feature the names of our partner villages: Kossou, Bocabo, Angossé and, for the first time this year, Allai-Yaokro—marking a new chapter in the history of the Kobo Cup.

How to Get the 2026 Jersey

The official Kobo Cup 2026 jersey is available today in a limited edition, exclusively through the official Kobo Resources website: https://www.koboresources.com/en/kobo-cup-essentials .

Our Official Partners for the Kobo Cup 2026

Coast 2 Coast Entertainment

Coast 2 Coast is a leading urban music label in West Africa. Celebrating authenticity and innovation, it embodies the diversity and vibrancy of Africa’s urban culture.

“The Kobo Cup proves that when sport, culture and communities come together, we can create meaningful, lasting impact. After experiencing the energy and excitement of the last edition, renewing Coast 2 Coast’s commitment was a natural decision. We believe that some of the most compelling stories are born beyond the major urban centres. We are proud to continue building this journey alongside Kobo Resources.” Cheikh-Louis Tall, Chief Executive Officer

Rockstone Drilling

Rockstone Drilling is a drilling company specializing in mining drilling services in Côte d’Ivoire, providing high-performance solutions for diamond drilling, directional drilling and geotechnical drilling. “Our participation in a community-driven event like the Kobo Cup is an important expression of our commitment to the communities in which we operate. We have a responsibility to ensure that economic growth creates opportunities for everyone, and this partnership reaffirms Rockstone Drilling’s strong commitment to corporate social responsibility.” Michel Poisson, General Manager

Forage FTE

Forage FTE specializes in a range of drilling services across Africa, the Americas and the Middle East. “Access to sport is a fundamental right that promotes physical health, social inclusion and dignity. Côte d’Ivoire’s youth is full of talent, both on and off the field, and Forage FTE is proud to support the Kobo Cup. Through this partnership, we are reaffirming our commitment to the communities that welcome us and our belief that mining development and human development go hand in hand.” Vincent Gronthier, VP - Sales & Business Development

About Kobo Resources Inc.

Kobo Resources is a growth-focused gold exploration company with a compelling gold discovery in Côte d'Ivoire, one of West Africa’s most prolific gold districts, hosting several multi-million-ounce gold mines. The Company’s 100%-owned Kossou Gold Project is located approximately 20 km northwest of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and is directly adjacent to one of the region’s largest gold mines with established processing facilities.

With over 43,000 metres of diamond drilling, nearly 5,887 metres of reverse circulation (RC) drilling, and 7,200+ metres of trenching completed since 2023, Kobo has made significant progress in defining the scale and prospectivity of its Kossou’s Gold Project. Exploration has focused on multiple high-priority targets within a 9+ km strike length of highly prospective gold-in-soil geochemical anomalies, with drilling confirming extensive mineralisation at the Jagger, Road Cut, and Kadie Zones. The latest phase of drilling has further refined structural controls on gold mineralisation, setting the stage for the next phase of systematic exploration and resource development.

Beyond Kossou, the Company is advancing exploration at its Kotobi Permit and is actively expanding its land position in Côte d'Ivoire with prospective ground, aligning with its strategic vision for long-term growth in-country. Kobo remains committed to identifying and developing new opportunities to enhance its exploration portfolio within highly prospective gold regions of West Africa. Kobo offers investors the exciting combination of high-quality gold prospects led by an experienced leadership team with in-country experience.

Kobo’s common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "KRI” and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol “Q1Z”. For more information, please visit www.koboresources.com .

For further information, please contact:

Edward Gosselin Chief Executive Officer and Director 1-418-609-3587 ir@kobores.com

X: @KoboResources | LinkedIn: Kobo Resources Inc.

NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information:

This press release may contain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements, including statements related to the exploration program of the Company and the expected inaugural Mineral Resource Estimate. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable as at the date of this press release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties; unanticipated costs and expenses; the delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals; and other risk factors listed from time to time in documents filed by the Company with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Kobo assumes no obligation or liability to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed62e1ee-de54-48ab-8a60-cf89ded23263 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/793fd37b-9a93-40b0-a26e-d1d19be263bd https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/68d8b894-13fc-4d31-bcdf-52febe6d19f8