Rwanda has opened the two-day SportsBiz Africa Forum 2026 in Kigali, bringing together sports ministers, industry leaders, investors, athletes, technology experts and other stakeholders to explore how Africa can turn its sporting talent into a stronger economic force.
The forum, being held at the Kigali Convention Centre, is centred on the growing business opportunities in sports and the need for African countries to move beyond producing talent and start capturing a greater share of the value generated by the global sports economy.
Officially opening the forum, Sports Minister Nelly Mukazayire said the gathering should result in practical initiatives rather than remain a platform for discussion.
«“The true value of this event will be measured by the actions that follow,” Mukazayire said, calling on participants to transform dialogue and collaboration into concrete projects, partnerships and opportunities.»
Mukazayire highlighted the scale of the opportunity facing Africa, noting that the global sports industry is estimated to be worth between $2.3 trillion and $2.65 trillion, while Africa currently accounts for only about 0.5 percent of that value.
She said the gap is particularly significant given Africa’s demographic advantage, with young people making up a large proportion of the continent’s population.
The minister argued that Africa already possesses many of the ingredients needed to become a bigger player in the industry, including athletes, creativity and a rapidly expanding technology ecosystem. The challenge, she said, is to develop systems that allow the continent to generate, retain and commercialise more of the value created by its sports sector.
One of the areas she identified as critical is data.
African sports organisations and businesses need to collect and use data generated within African markets to better understand athletes, audiences and sporting performance. Such information can also support the development of products and services specifically suited to African consumers and athletes.
Mukazayire also called for greater use of science and technology in sports, including approaches that take into account Africa’s different climates, altitudes and conditions rather than relying entirely on solutions developed for other markets.
The discussions reflect a broader shift in how sport is viewed across the continent—from primarily a social and recreational activity to an industry capable of creating jobs, attracting investment, developing technology and generating long-term economic growth.
E-sports and the digital opportunity
The growing e-sports and gaming economy featured prominently in the discussions, with the Global Sports Federation president, Sir Paul J Foster urging Africa to build stronger connections between its young population and international markets.
Rather than focusing only on Africa’s potential, he called for investment in the infrastructure that can connect African talent with global audiences, capital and technology.
“Connectivity is infrastructure, and infrastructure creates economic opportunity,” the E-Games president said.
He pointed to gaming as one of the world’s fastest-growing entertainment industries, with about four billion people playing games globally and the sector valued at approximately $600 billion.
The opportunity, he argued, extends far beyond professional gaming.
A young person can enter the industry as a player and progress into game development, content creation, entrepreneurship or technology.
For Africa, developing that ecosystem would mean creating opportunities for young people to build companies and intellectual property locally while accessing customers and investment around the world.
The forum therefore seeks to encourage the development of platforms, competitions, academies, digital infrastructure, investment channels and commercial networks capable of supporting the entire sports and gaming value chain.
The emphasis is also shifting from simply bringing international sporting opportunities to Africa to enabling African talent, businesses and intellectual property to reach global markets.
AFCON 2027 offers regional economic opportunity
The business potential of sport is also being reflected in preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Chairman Pamoja Kenya, Nicolas Musonye said Rwanda should be part of the wider regional football project, either through qualification or by providing training and other facilities to participating teams.
“My first priority is to see Rwanda qualify to participate in AFCON 2027,” Andrew said, while also expressing interest in seeing teams use Rwanda as a training base.
He said Rwanda’s involvement would strengthen the regional character of the tournament and help create a broader East African sporting ecosystem.
Infrastructure remains one of the key priorities ahead of the competition. Andrew said governments and football authorities in the three host countries are working to ensure stadiums and related facilities meet the required standards.
The tournament is expected to generate significant economic activity through tourism, hospitality, transport, construction, broadcasting, sponsorship and other sectors.
Andrew said the combined economic impact of AFCON 2027 across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania could reach approximately $20 billion, with organisers hoping that the benefits will continue after the tournament.
He said revenue should be channelled back into infrastructure and football development, particularly programmes aimed at young players.
The approach reflects the wider message of the SportsBiz Africa Forum: major sporting events should not be viewed simply as competitions, but as opportunities to build lasting infrastructure, businesses and human capital.
Building an African sports economy
The forum comes at a time when African countries are seeking new ways to create employment and attract investment from a rapidly growing youth population.
Sports can provide opportunities across a wide range of sectors, including broadcasting, digital content, tourism, merchandising, technology, sports science, facilities management, marketing and entertainment.
Speakers at the forum emphasised that Africa’s sporting advantage will only translate into economic prosperity if countries develop the infrastructure and commercial systems needed to support it.
For Rwanda, hosting the forum reinforces Kigali’s ambitions to position itself as a regional destination for major sporting events, investment and business discussions.
Over the three days, participants are expected to examine investment opportunities, technology, sports infrastructure, e-sports, talent development and partnerships capable of strengthening Africa’s position in the global sports economy.
The ultimate challenge, however, is to ensure that the conversations translate into action—creating more opportunities for African athletes, entrepreneurs and businesses while enabling the continent to move from being primarily a source of sporting talent to becoming a major owner and beneficiary of the global sports industry
