Sport Nigeria Ltd/Gte, an organization dedicated to redefining cross-cultural engagement within the sports industry and developing sports as a viable business sector in Nigeria, has revealed plans to host an Investor Summit that will ensure the delivery of a diverse range of sports and services across Africa in November 2024.
The CEO of Sports Nigeria Ltd/Gte, Nkechi Obi disclosed this during a press conference to launch the esteemed Africa Soft Power 2024 conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
Tagged ‘Sports Africa Investment Summit’ and scheduled for 19 and 20 November 2024, the summit will serve as a convergence point for investors, sports infrastructure stakeholders and value chain providers and act as a catalyst to boost domestic consumption locally produced sports content in Africa.
According to Nkechi. Discussions will revolve around investment strategies, market expansion and holistic strengthening of the sports value chain across Africa, while highlighting the urgent need to strengthen Africa’s sports infrastructure to retain talent and drive economic growth . “We want to bring together, facilitate and enable investment in the sports industry value chain and deliver commercial and social impact benefits to stakeholders and consumers. Nkechi said.
There are over 10 million talented footballers in Nigeria alone, yet Europe can only absorb a fraction of them. Without strong industry development, we risk perpetuating a cycle of talent exploitation akin to a second slavery,” Nkechi warned. “The Sports Africa Investment Summit marks a pivotal step towards reshaping Africa’s sporting landscape and harnessing the vast potential of our continent.”
Nkechi also highlighted the critical role of private sector engagement in translating policy frameworks into tangible results in the sports sector. “Sports Nigeria emerged from the private sector in response to the formation of a new national political sports industry. We recognize that the crux of the challenge lies not in the absence of policies but in their effective implementation,” said Nkechi. “Our mandate is clear: to mobilize investment that facilitates the development of vital sports infrastructure, ensuring that Nigeria’s sports industry creates around 3 million jobs over the next decade, alongside the creation of 3,000 community facilities.”
This historic announcement coincides with the Africa Soft Power Summit, known for its role in promoting African leadership in key socio-economic sectors. Notable speakers at the event include HE Dr. Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi. Honorable Sandrine Umutoni, Minister of Youth and Arts, Rwanda. HRH Nnaemeka A. Achebe, Obi of Onitsha; Temi Popoola, Managing Director, Nigeria Exchange Limited. Uche Ofodile, CEO, MTN Benin; Nana Baffour, Nana Baffour, Co-Founder, NVH Studios and Executive Chairman, Enda; Michaella Rugwizangoga, Chief Tourism Officer, Rwanda Development Board. Gabby Asare Otchore-Darko, Executive Chairman & Founder of Africa Prosperity Network among others.