The just-concluded Sports Africa Investment Summit has marked a pivotal moment in Africa’s journey toward sports industrialisation and economic transformation, stakeholders have said.
  
Over two days in Lagos, the summit, hosted by Sport Nigeria Ltd/Gte in partnership with the Office of the Presidency and the National Sports Commission, brought together a powerful coalition of stakeholders- government representatives, UNESCO, AFREXIM Bank, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), investors, and sports industry leaders- all united by a shared vision: to unlock the immense potential of sports as a driver of economic growth, job creation, and community development across Africa.
 
At the heart of this historic gathering was the signing of a groundbreaking technical agreement between the Abia State government and Sport Nigeria Ltd/Gte, paving the way for Africa’s first-ever Sports Special Economic Zone (SSEZ).
 
According to stakeholders, this visionary initiative will transform Abia State into a global hub for sports goods manufacturing, leveraging Aba’s legendary craftsmanship, entrepreneurial spirit, and industrial excellence.
 
Aligned with Nigeria’s Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the SSEZ is poised to become a beacon of innovation, trade, and industrialisation, creating thousands of jobs and empowering local businesses, they said.
 
Speaking at the summit, Abia State Commissioner for Sports, Nwaobilor Ananaba, affirmed: “The Special Sports Economic Zone is a game-changer for Abia State and Nigeria at large. Under the visionary leadership of Dr. Alex Otti, we are committed to driving a collective agenda that will transform Abia into the premier hub for sports goods manufacturing and infrastructure development.
 
“This project is a bold step toward job creation, youth empowerment, and economic diversification, and we will work tirelessly to ensure its full realisation with our partners, Sports Nigeria.”
 
The summit’s robust discussions underscored the pressing need for innovative financing models, capacity-building initiatives, and diaspora engagement to sustain long-term development.

 According to the Chairman of the Abia State Investment Office, Chinedum Chijioke: “The signing of this agreement marks the beginning of a transformative journey to attract global investments and build an ecosystem where sports, commerce, and industry thrive together. We are dedicated to fostering strategic partnerships that would actualise this vision and create lasting economic impact.”
 
The summit also saw the formal launch of Spaces 4 Sports, Sport Nigeria’s flagship initiative designed to address Africa’s sports infrastructure deficit at the grassroots level. This cluster-based model is expected to integrate community sports hubs across the continent, providing accessible facilities that encourage mass participation in sports, particularly within the education sector.

 By embedding sports into daily life, Spaces 4 Sports said that it aims at achieving a 50 per cent increase in mass sports participation, enhance youth engagement, and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa Union Agenda 2063, using sports as a catalyst for education, health, and gender inclusivity.
 
Emphasising the summit’s message to stakeholders, CEO of Sports Nigeria Ltd, Nkechi Obi, said Africa’s sports economy is ready to take off, but it will require bold investments, visionary leadership, and strategic partnerships to realise its full potential.
  
Obi added: “Sports is more than entertainment—it’s an industry, a business, and a force for economic transformation. Abia’s Sports Special Economic Zone is the first of its kind, but it won’t be the last. We are setting a precedent that others will follow.” She said that the private sector has a critical role to play in bridging the infrastructure gap and unlocking the industry’s potential.
 
“With sports serving as a multi-billion-dollar industry globally, Africa is uniquely positioned to harness its youthful population, raw talent, and market demand. Strategic investment in sports infrastructure will not only drive economic growth but also create employment, boost tourism, and elevate Africa’s global sporting competitiveness,” she said.
 
Also speaking at the summit, Vice chairman of Spotrts Nigeria, Yahaya Maikori, noted: “We don’t need more talk—we need action. This SSEZ is our action plan. The world is watching, and investors are ready. Now is the time.”