Sports Business Brand Latest Brand News, Sports, Entertainment, Marketing, Sponsorships
Former Nigeria and Bolton Wanderers’ captain, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, has reiterated the need for Africans to invest in Africa’s sports development.
Speaking at the Kigali Convention Centre, venue of the second edition of SportsBiz Africa, in the Rwandan capital, on Tuesday, September 9, Okocha shared his journey investing in sports in Africa, starting with real estate to finance his passion to support young talent.
He said: ‘I wanted to keep in the game that made me,’ adding that “if Africa gets it right ‘we will no longer need to go play abroad.’
Minister of Sport of Rwanda, Nelly Mukazayire, who was Guest of Honour, at the two-day event which featured over 300 delegates, expressed confidence that the Forum will address issues affecting the industry.
‘Africa is no longer just an exporter but where we want to make sure that we can grow talent for our own market and they can also have opportunities within their continent and abroad,’ she stated.
Mukazayire quoted a study finding that for every $1 invested in a sporting intervention, it yields as much as $124 in economic value given the large ecosystem the sector supports. This made clear the distance investment in sports could go to grow the industry and the economy.
The panel had some of Africa’s most iconic sports personalities such as Okocha, the former Senegalese basketball player; Assane Thiam, French Judoka, Clarisse Agbégnénou, and Cameroonian-French professional boxer, Carlos Takam amongst others.
Unlocking the Power of Sport: Africa’s Next Economic Frontier.
NBA Africa Chief Executive Officer, Claire Akamanzi, delivered the keynote address titled, Unlocking the Power of Sport: Africa’s Next Economic Frontier.
She noted that, at the rate of 8 per cent, the sports industry is growing faster than the continent’s GDP which is growing at 3 to 4 per cent.
With an estimated value of $12 billion, she said, the industry is expected to grow to $20 billion by 2035. With such growth, it was an indication that Africa could already be on its way to contribute more than lamented 0.5 percent of the continent’s GDP, making it a matter of time before it attains the global average of 2 percent.
Challenges remain, however, and discussions lived up to the spirit of the SportsBiz Africa Forum discussing the hurdles and sharing experiences to grow business and entrench sports in the continent’s socio-economic development.
Sessions
Other sessions included Sport as a Strategic Asset for Africa’s Growth, Athlete Transition, Branding & Legacy Building, Sponsorships and Brand Partnerships, The Commercialisation of African Football, Investment in Africa’s Sports Economy, Esports, Gaming and the Next Generation of Athletes.
In addition, it featured: Women in Sports Leadership & Innovation, Unlocking Sponsorship with Impact Metrics, Youth Development and Talent Pathways, Digital Platforms and Monetising the African Fanbase and Event Hosting and the African Sports Economy as well as Sports Diplomacy.
Case Study: Visit Rwanda
Visit Rwanda Case Study was presented by Chief Strategy & Communications Officer, Rwanda Development Board, Sheja Vallière.
The Visit Rwanda Case Study presentation explored Rwanda’s strategic approach to positioning itself as a hub for tourism, investment, and international sport through the “Visit Rwanda” brand.
Visit Rwanda has since partnered top European clubs like Arsenal, PSG and Bayern Munich.
| Sport as a Service, Trade & African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was another presentation by Dr. Kamilla Swart-Arries – Associate Professor, Hamad Bin Khalifa University. |
Next Actions
Their deliberations came up with The Kigali Recommendations which will be tabled at 5th Specialised Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sports (STC-YCS5) in Algeria in October 2025 for consideration into policies.
The two-day programme which began on Tuesday, was concluded on Wednesday.
It is designed as an annual platform dedicated to advancing Africa’s sports economy.
SportsBiz Africa Golf Championship
The SportsBiz Africa Golf Championship featured at the Kigali Golf Resort & Villas to boost the profile of the event.
Sponsored by SportsBiz Africa, East African Breweries PLC through the Johnnie Walker brand, Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, and Pure Travel, it attracted a high-quality field of 121 golfers from 16 countries across Africa, alongside participants from the UK and Canada.
As the fifth leg of the Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, the tournament provided not only a USD 25,000 prize purse but also crucial Sunshine Development Tour Order of Merit points, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, and World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points.
Partners
SportsBiz Africa partners included: Afriventia, Venue Solutions Rwanda, Cruyff Institute, Zaria Court, Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, Sunshine Development Tour – East Africa Swing, IMG Communications and CN Arthur Nation.
