Kofi Adams, the Minister for Sports and Recreation, has called on African governments to urgently reposition sports as a strategic economic sector capable of driving growth, job creation and regional integration.
He made the call while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the AIPS Africa Conference in Banjul, where he underscored the need for deliberate policies and investments to unlock the continent’s vast sports potential.
Mr Adams commended The Gambia for its hospitality and strong political commitment to sports development, youth empowerment and media engagement, noting that such support reflected a growing continental recognition of sport as a development tool.
“Across Africa, we recognise sport’s ability to unite communities, inspire youth, and bolster national identity. Yet, despite this shared understanding, sport remains undervalued as a strategic economic sector,” he said.
The Sports Minister noted that while the global sports industry was valued at over 512 billion dollars in 2023 and projected to reach 624 billion dollars by 2027, Africa continued to lag due to limited investment in infrastructure, media rights, sponsorship and digital monetisation.
“Africa’s sports economy is estimated at just 12 to 15 billion dollars, less than 0.5 per cent of our continent’s GDP, despite representing nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population,” Mr Adams observed.
He lamented that African countries continued to export talented athletes cheaply while spending heavily on foreign sports content, stressing that the continent had the capacity to create and retain value locally.
Mr Adams identified key structural challenges constraining growth, including poor infrastructure, weak commercialisation frameworks, governance deficits and restrictions on intra-African mobility for athletes and fans.
“Without proper organisation and regional cooperation, our potential remains untapped,” he cautioned.
Despite the challenges, he highlighted positive examples from Morocco, Rwanda and Tanzania, where targeted investments and clear policies were helping to position sport as an economic and diplomatic asset.
Turning to Ghana, the Minister outlined reforms aimed at repositioning sport as a catalyst for national development. These include the return of the Ghana Premier League to free-to-air television, increased prize money, and the establishment of the Ghana Sports Fund as a sustainable financing mechanism to support infrastructure development, grassroots programmes and athlete welfare.Ghana tourism packages
He noted that the reforms had already yielded results, with Ghana hosting 12 international sporting events in 2025, strengthening its reputation as a reliable multi-sport destination ahead of upcoming continental championships.
Mr Adams also urged African sports journalists to uphold professionalism and responsible reporting, stressing that credible journalism was critical to building trust, transparency and investor confidence in the sports sector.
“Sport is no longer just about entertainment; it’s about jobs, content, tourism, identity, and power,” he said.
“The question is whether Africa is prepared to remove barriers, enforce frameworks, and treat sport as a production and export industry. The opportunity is ours; the responsibility is ours.”
The AIPS Africa Conference brings together sports administrators, policymakers and media practitioners to explore strategies for harnessing sport’s full economic potential to support long-term development across the continent.
