The Formula 1 deal with Rwanda should do more than bring a major race to the continent. It should help young Africans gain skills, find work and build businesses in the global sports industry, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf says.
Welcoming the agreement in a statement issued on October 23, Youssouf described it as a milestone for African sport. He said major international events can raise Africa’s global profile, attract investment and tourism, develop local expertise and expand opportunities for the continent’s youth.
His appeal puts the focus on what the race could leave behind. Youssouf said sport can support sustainable growth, create jobs and strengthen regional integration, urging governments, private businesses and other stakeholders to work together so Africa captures more of the value generated by the global sports economy.
Formula 1 has signed a 10-year agreement to bring the African Grand Prix to Rwanda in the early 2030s, once a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera is complete. The site is about 40 kilometres south of Kigali, near the new international airport.
The Rwanda Development Board is leading a wider sports, tourism, infrastructure and commercial development project. Formula 1 says the venue is intended to host events throughout the year, beyond race weekends.
The race would mark Formula 1’s return to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix. The opportunity is significant; Formula 1 says more than 100 million people across Africa follow the sport, and almost 60 per cent of fans in key sub-Saharan markets are under 35.
Youssouf said the initiative aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which sets out a vision of an integrated, prosperous Africa with a stronger role in global affairs.
Analysts say whether the race becomes a lasting boost for African sport will depend on the development it delivers beyond the event itself.
