Rugby Africa boss to Join Panel on Sport as a Driver of African Industrialisation at the 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings

KAMPALA, June 3, 2026 — Rugby Africa, the governing body for rugby across the continent, says its President, Herbert Mensah, will participate in the 33rd African Export-Import Bank [Afreximbank] Annual Meetings [AAM], which will take place from 21 to 24 June 2026 in El-Alamein, Egypt, under the auspices Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Mensah was invited by Prof. George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank domiciled in Egypt, but also operates a few regional offices in Africa.

The Rugby Africa executive will participate in a high-level panel discussion titled “From Africa’s Factories to the Pitch: Sports as a Conduit to Africa’s Industrialisation” on June 22 2026.

The session will examine how Africa’s rapidly expanding sports and creative industries can serve as catalysts for broader industrial development, helping the continent move beyond its dependence on imported sports equipment and apparel towards building competitive manufacturing capabilities across the wider sports value chain. Areas of focus will include stadium technologies, broadcasting equipment, fitness products and sports medicine supplies.

This year’s Afreximbank Annual Meetings will be held under the theme “Intra-African Trade and Industrialisation: Pathway to Economic Sovereignty” and will bring together Afreximbank shareholders, African and Caribbean heads of state and government, ministers, central bank governors, leaders of major financial institutions, corporate executives and members of the academic community.

The invitation of Mensah the bank’s annual meetings reflects the scale of the opportunity presented by the global sports industry. The worldwide sports apparel market is currently valued at approximately US$230 billion and is projected to reach US$ 325 billion by 2034. By comparison, Africa’s sports apparel market, estimated at around US$ 30 billion, remains heavily reliant on imports.

The panel will explore how African countries can capture a greater share of this growing market through domestic manufacturing, regional value chains and strategic international partnerships.

“I am honoured to accept President Elombi’s invitation. Sport is one of Africa’s most powerful yet underappreciated economic assets,” said Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa.

“Every jersey, every ball and every stadium represents jobs, skills and industries that can and should be developed on this continent. Rugby is growing faster in Africa than almost anywhere else in the world, and that growth must translate into factories, value chains and opportunities for African people. I look forward to bringing that message to El-Alamein.”

In addition to leading Rugby Africa, Mensah serves on the Executive Board of World Rugby and is Chairman of World Rugby Regions, the body that brings together the presidents of rugby’s six regional associations: Rugby Europe, Asia Rugby, Rugby Americas North [RAN], Sudamérica Rugby, Oceania Rugby and Rugby Africa. His participation will bring a global rugby perspective to a discussion focused on Africa’s industrial future.

Rugby Africa welcomes Afreximbank’s continued leadership in promoting intra-African trade and industrialisation and looks forward to contributing to a dialogue that positions sport as a key pillar of the continent’s economic sovereignty agenda.

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