Morocco’s stunning World Cup run, beating several European powerhouses, including its once colonising force, Spain, has created history. It is the first African country to reach the World Cup semi-final. Not only Africa, but the entire developing world celebrated Morocco’s success in the Quarter Finals. Despite its loss against France in the semi-finals, the country’s stellar performance proved that the Global South has the capabilities to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Global North.
The team’s incredible performance with the right blend of homegrown talent and experience in foreign leagues proved the magnificent athletic talent of the continent. What is really interesting is that the Moroccan team’s success has kicked up the confidence of the continent-that rich athletic talent can be the new frontier for the socio-economic growth of Africa. Excellence in Sports, experts say can be “an economic growth engine” for the continent driving economic opportunities across Africa.
The question that rises in our mind is -Why did it take so much time for an African nation to have this kind of success? The answer is simple- lack of financial resources. If they had half of the resources as the footballing giants like Spain and France, Africa would have been the perpetual winner of the game.
The moot point is, there is a tremendous scope to invest in sports talent and fuel a generation- Investing in the youth which is Africa’s biggest asset as a driver of development. For this, the African governments have to develop a strategy and create a pathway for young people to not only discover their talent but also retain them in the country. Currently, most players stumble into the sport by accident. With limited opportunities at home, many of them seek opportunities abroad, thus generating revenues for other countries. Providing Africans with local platforms will motivate the players to stay back which will benefit the local economies.
By staying on the continent, athletes can expand opportunities for the sports ecosystem to thrive, like nutritionists and personal trainers and so on. It has the potential to not only boost the economy, but also boost other sectors including health/well-being, education, tourism, infrastructure, social inclusion, and youth and women’s empowerment. Senegal to a certain extent has been proactive in this area. It is not only encouraging athletes but also setting up the infrastructure needed to support a sports industry.
Sporting skills and talents are abundant in the continent. But what is lacking is the effort to fully realise the economic and employment potential and the infrastructure to support it. The existing sporting infrastructures are under-commercialized and underutilized. Hosting of Sports events has the potential to generate millions of dollars as well as employment. Thousands of football fans from across Africa travelled to Cameroon for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations to cheer their national teams boosting the local businesses.
African governments need to draft stronger policies that will incubate the sports industry. By creating supportive policies and institutions, the continent should be able to attract public and private investments. Private sector investment can play a key role in boosting Africa’s sports sector. Millionaires in Africa like Dengote or members of the African Diaspora can also come forward to invest. This could make sound business sense and also fulfill their Corporate Social responsibility.
In short, If African Governments take the necessary initiatives to prioritise sport as a potential driver for economic growth, Africa can transform itself into a great continent of sport, culture, and tourism.
