Financial empowerment and creative industry integration are key highlights of the expanded partnership between the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and Afreximbank.
- New programmes to build sports entrepreneurship: “BAL Advance: Next Play” launches in 2026 to give players and coaches financial and business training.
- Talent pipeline for Africa’s sports economy: BAL Future Pros to place early-career professionals directly into BAL departments. Applications open soon via the NBA Careers and BAL Careers websites.
- Creative industry crossover: Afreximbank to back BAL Innovation Summit and content featuring African fashion designers in sports.
- Women-focused opportunities: BAL4Her camp in Algiers adds gender inclusion to Africa’s sports entrepreneurship drive.
The BAL and Afreximbank are expanding their multi-year collaboration to accelerate Africa’s sports economy, using basketball as a platform for entrepreneurship, skills development, and cross-industry innovation.
The announcement, made at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025), underscores a growing recognition of sport as a serious economic sector. Afreximbank’s backing will fund new BAL programmes designed to equip athletes, coaches, and young professionals with business acumen and industry access.
Turning players into entrepreneurs
Launching in the 2026 season, BAL Advance: Next Play will offer workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to transform athletes and coaches into business leaders. By integrating financial literacy with entrepreneurial training, the initiative is expected to create a generation of sports professionals who can drive investment and innovation across Africa’s emerging sports economy.
Building Africa’s sports workforce
Afreximbank is also supporting BAL Future Pros, a year-round placement programme that gives young Africans a pathway into the sports industry. With applications opening this month, successful candidates will join BAL departments before the end of the year, helping to seed Africa’s next generation of sports executives.
Cross-industry growth opportunities
The collaboration stretches beyond basketball. Afreximbank will sponsor the BAL’s annual Innovation Summit and a content series showcasing African fashion designers in sports, a move that strategically connects basketball with Africa’s broader creative industries. By linking sports, fashion, and media, the partnership positions BAL as a catalyst for cultural exports and new commercial ventures.
Inclusion and grassroots development
Gender inclusion is also on the agenda. The BAL and Afreximbank recently held a BAL4Her camp in Algiers for 20 female athletes under 23, signalling efforts to ensure women benefit from Africa’s sports-driven economic expansion.
Strategic outlook
BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall described the partnership as a commitment to using basketball as “an engine for economic development,” while Afreximbank’s Kanayo Awani highlighted the bank’s broader strategy to integrate sports into Africa’s trade and creative economy.
For investors, startups, and creative entrepreneurs, the expanded BAL–Afreximbank collaboration signals new opportunities in sports business services, athlete-focused ventures, and cross-sector innovation. By embedding entrepreneurship into sports, the deal may well transform basketball from an entertainment product into a continental business hub.
