The digital shift in African sports: insights from SiGMA Africa 2025

Cape Town, South Africa – March 12, 2025 – SiGMA Africa 2025 provided a compelling examination of digital transformation in the African sports ecosystem, addressing the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry. The discussion was led by Lindi Ngwenya, Founder & Managing Director of Sisu Sports Management, in a keynote exploring the future of digital integration in African sports. This was followed by a fireside chat moderated by Steve Evans, CEO & Founder of Racing Stars, featuring Kwesi Hayford, President of Esports Association – Ghana, which explored how digitisation is empowering sports talent and reshaping athlete development.

Digital disruption and the evolution of African sports

Ngwenya provided a frank assessment of the current state of sports in Africa, noting that while the global sports industry accounts for 2% of GDP, Africa’s contribution remains just 0.5%, highlighting the untapped economic potential within the sector. “Apart from a few key markets, sport in Africa has largely been viewed as a recreational activity rather than an economic driver,” Ngwenya explained, calling for a shift in leadership and investment mindsets to harness the opportunities of digital transformation.
She further emphasised the role of technology in shaping the future of African sports, urging industry leaders to prioritise digital adoption to capitalise on the continent’s youthful and tech-receptive population.

Top takeaways from the keynote and fireside chat

• Bridging the Digital Divide – Accessibility remains a challenge, with high data costs and limited infrastructure slowing down progress. Expanding affordable internet access is essential to maximising digital transformation in sports.
• Data-Driven Athlete Development – Digital platforms are reshaping how talent is identified, tracked, and nurtured, allowing for more strategic scouting and training methodologies.
• Commercialisation and Monetisation of Sports Talent – Leveraging digital engagement models, including VR training, AI-powered analytics, and esports platforms, can create new revenue streams and attract international opportunities for African athletes.

The future of sports talent in Africa

Hayford addressed the increasing role of data and technology in scouting and athlete performance evaluation, noting that most clubs still rely on traditional scouting methods rather than digital analytics.”Clubs and scouts are still focused on physical observation rather than leveraging digital data points. More investment in digital scouting tools will change this landscape,” he stated.

With virtual reality and AI-driven performance tracking gaining traction globally, the panel explored how these innovations can revolutionise African sports by providing better injury management, performance assessment, and training simulations.

The next steps in sports digitisation

The insights shared at SiGMA Africa 2025 underscored the critical need for digital infrastructure investment, regulatory support, and cross-sector collaboration to unlock the full economic potential of African sports.

The conversation continues at SiGMA’s upcoming global events, where industry leaders will explore new strategies for integrating technology, fostering talent, and scaling digital innovations across sports and esports ecosystems.