The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has urged African governments to reposition sports as a key economic sector to drive growth, employment, and regional integration.
Speaking at the opening of the AIPS Africa Conference in Banjul, Mr. Adams stressed the need for intentional policies and sustained investment to harness Africa’s vast sports potential.
“Sport plays a vital role in uniting communities, motivating young people, and strengthening national identity across the continent, yet society continues to undervalue it economically.“He noted
In addition, Mr Adams revealed that the global sports industry exceeded 512 billion dollars in value in 2023 and is envisage to reach 624 billion dollars by 2027.
“The sports economy generates an estimated 12 to 15 billion dollars, representing less than 0.5 percent of the continent’s GDP, despite the continent accounting for nearly 17 percent of the world’s population. Africa remains far behind due to inadequate investment in infrastructure, media rights, sponsorship, and digital monetization.”
Mr. Adams further praised The Gambia for its hospitality and strong political commitment to sports development, youth empowerment, and media engagement, describing it as a sign of growing recognition across the continent of sport as a tool for development.
SOURCE : Citinewsroom
