The newly elected President of Rugby Africa, the continental governing body for rugby in Africa, Mr Herbert Mensah, will discuss the business of sport in a one-to-one fireside chat at the 2023 Africa Investment Forum (AIF) tomorrow in Marrakech, Morocco.
The annual three-day Africa Investment Forum Market Days event commenced today and is expected to end on Friday under the theme ‘Unlocking Africa’s Value Chain’ in Marrakech, Morocco.
Championed by the African Development Bank and seven other founding partners (Africa50, Africa Finance Corporation, Afreximbank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Trade and Development Bank), the Africa Investment Forum is Africa’s investment marketplace to accelerate transactions in order to close Africa’s investment gaps.
Founded in 2018, the AIF has mobilised nearly $143 billion in investment interest.
The event brings together heads of states, business leaders, decision makers and investors to advance critical investment transactions to closure.
Previous attendees included Mr Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, and Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana.
The sports industry in Africa is experiencing rapid growth, with the potential to generate jobs, improve public health, foster social inclusion and drive economic growth.
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the industry was valued at $7 billion in 2018 with an expected growth of $12 billion in 2027.
Despite the potential investment across Africa remains limited with only 1% of startup financing directed towards the sport sector, Rugby Africa President, Herbert Mensah, continues to emphasise the business potential of rugby across Africa.
Since his election, President Mensah has called for a change of mindset from African governments and international organisations to increase investment in rugby across Africa.
In June, Mr Herbert Mensah delivered a keynote speech on treating rugby as a lucrative business venture at the Bloomberg New Economy Gateway Africa 2023 event in Marrakech, Morocco —Insidethegames.biz
