Candy Basomingera, the Deputy CEO of Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), has tipped sport as a strategic industry for Africa's development, pointing out how it can generate revenues for development. She was speaking during a Visit Rwanda media event in Dakar, Senegal, on Saturday, May 3, on the sidelines of the ongoing Sahara Conference of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2025. “Since 2021, Rwanda has hosted over 70 international competitions and sports events, generating more than $50 million in revenues. The Basketball Africa League is more than a tournament. It is a platform for youth, innovation and continental visibility,” she noted. Basomingera also lauded Amadou Gallo Fall, president of the BAL, for his remarkable vision that propelled African basketball onto the international stage. Kigali braces for Nile Conference The Sahara Conference concluded in Dakar on Sunday, May 4, and focus will shift on the Nile Conference which will take place in Kigali from May 17-25. On top of the much anticipated battles inside the BK Arena, Basomingera said various activities are planned off the court, including networking evenings, concerts, and an innovation summit. We take advantage of the visibility of the BAL to highlight local talents, she noted. For her, BAL embodies much more than a sports competition; it is an initiative that leads the continent and proves to the world that Africa has talent and can play a key role in the sports economy. “With clubs that are developing, a growing enthusiasm among young people and tangible economic returns, African basketball has beautiful days ahead of it,” she noted. Rwandan representatives APR were placed in the Nile Conference where they will be battling for a spot in the playoffs in Pretoria, South Africa, against Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli, South Africa’s Made by Basketball, and Kenya’s Nairobi City Thunder. ALSO READ: BAL 2025: Morocco, Rwanda to host conference games as playoffs head to South Africa The games will take place at BK Arena. In general, BAL 2025 is featuring 12 teams, with the regular season divided into three conferences: - the Nile Conference, the Sahara Conference, and the Kalahari Conference. Following the conference stage, the competition will progress to the playoffs and finals, set to be held in June at SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. ALSO READ: Al Ahli Tripoli, Stade Malien qualify for BAL 2025 Since the league’s inception, Petro de Luanda and US Monastir remain the only teams to have qualified for all five BAL seasons.
