Kigali, Rwanda – 9 September 2025: The African Union Sports Council, in partnership with the Republic of Rwanda Ministry of Sports, hosted a high-level Sports Policy Makers and Stakeholders Roundtable at the Kigali International Convention Centre during the Second Edition of the SportsBiz Africa Forum (SBA 2025).
The roundtable provided a continental platform for collaboration, enabling government ministers, private sector leaders, multilateral institutions, and civil society to explore ways of positioning sport as a driver of economic growth, youth empowerment, partnership, investment and sustainability, with a particular focus on how to translate Africa's strong sporting interest into actionable policies and investment strategies.
Africa’s sports industry, valued between US$12 and US$15 billion, is projected to grow at 8 percent annually to reach over US$20 billion in the next few years. Despite this growth, the sector contributes only 0.5 percent to Africa’s GDP, compared to a global average of 2 percent. A survey by the research organization African Sports and Creative Institute (ASCI), involving 3,000 sports business professionals, identified a challenging business environment as a key barrier to investment and growth. Echoing other studies, respondents cited poor governance and infrastructure, human capital, and access to finance and cost of capital as some of the challenges hampering the ease of doing business.
In her Opening Remarks, Honourable Nelly Mukazayire, Minister of Sports of the Republic of Rwanda, emphasized that the Policymakers Roundtable marks a pivotal step in unlocking the transformative potential of Africa's sports industry by strengthening nations' policies and aligning them with Agenda 2063. She stressed that sports have demonstrated its value as a channel for youth empowerment, a driver of health and education, and a unifying force for economic opportunities. The roundtable was, thus, a testament to the commitment of all participants to leverage sports for sustainable development, unity, and economic growth.
Dr. Decius Chipande, Head of the African Union Sports Council, in his remarks, emphasized that the African Union (AU) underscores the critical role of sport in promoting social cohesion, economic growth, and continental integration. Sport has been mainstreamed into AU strategies as a catalyst for achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063, “The Africa We Want.” The AU Strategic Plan 2024–2028, aligned with the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063, prioritizes “Economic Beneficiation from African Talent, Arts, Crafts, Culture, Sports, and Music.” This commitment is further reinforced by the Policy for Sustainable Development of Sport in Africa, endorsed by the AU Specialised Technical Committee on Youth, Culture andSport in May 2023, which calls on member states to develop strategies and programmes to advance sport as a driver of development.
Participants at the Sports Policy Roundtable called for bold measures to position sport as a driver of economic growth, youth empowerment, and global visibility. Key recommendations included integrating sport into national development agendas, creating clear public-private partnership frameworks, and establishing institutional policies at both national and continental levels. The Roundtable emphasized the need for sustainable, multi-purpose sports infrastructure, pointing out the importance of moving beyond government dependency, instead, urging governments to incentivize private sector investment through measures such as tax breaks and land grants.
The roundtable further recommended formalized talent scouting systems, integration of life skills into sports academies, and the creation of diverse career pathways to ensure that sport is treated as a viable profession. Additionally, sport was highlighted as a powerful tool for national branding and diplomacy, with recommendations to set up cross-ministerial task forces and strengthen athlete transition programs to leverage their global influence.
The Policy Makers and stakeholders Roundtable was attended by Ministers of Sports from Rwanda, Botswana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia, with senior officials representing Madagascar, Seychelles, and Morocco. Sports organisations, NGOs, diplomats, athletes, former athletes and media
About the African Union Sports Council
The AU Sports Council serves as the continental coordinating body for sport and physical activity within the African Union framework. It is mandated to promote and develop sport across member states, align sports policies with the AU's Agenda 2063, and foster continental unity through sport.
About Sports Biz
The SportsBiz Africa Forum is a flagship Annual Pan-African platform that promotes investment in the sports sector and advances its role in Africa’s development agenda.
For further information, contact:
Dr Decius Chipande |Head African Union Sports Council| E-mail: ChipandeD@africanunion.org
Mr.Christian Gakwaya|Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Events, Email: <ceo@rwandaevents.com> | Kigali, Rwanda
