African Game TIme

Rabat-Morocco

15 – 16 January 2026

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Chairman Message

A Perfect Setting for Africa Game Time Summit

From the Chairman's Desk: It is Game Time!

Will Mbiakop, Executive Chairman, Africa Game Time Summit

Dear Partners, Game Changers and Friends,

The sports industry across Africa is experiencing remarkable growth, with multi-million-dollar investments flowing into every segment of the value chain. In response to this dynamic evolution, a unified platform connecting the key players in the industry has become essential—and that is precisely what the Game Time Africa Summit aims to deliver.

It is with great excitement and a profound sense of purpose that I welcome you to the Africa Game Time Summit, a groundbreaking platform where the vibrant world of African sports and business converge. Our summit represents more than just an event; it is a dynamic hub for innovation, collaboration, and the realization of Africa’s immense potential in the global sports industry.

Highlights

  • Africa Sports Business Expert, Investor, Galvaniser.
  • 20+ years of experience in the US, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, including 10 years at NBA Africa.
  • Designed and led the most innovative and impactful sports business deals in Africa as well as sports-for-development programs benefiting youth and communities.
  • Strategic advisor to premiere financial organisations, DFI and blue-chip corporations looking to invest in sports for marketing purposes, CSR or equity acquisition.
  • Sought-after Speaker and Moderator at major summits and conferences.
  • Regular contributor to world-class media: CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC, Africa24, France24, Brut, VOA, TV5 Monde.
  • Author of 2 books: Africa Sports Industry: Understanding the Game & Economie du Sport en Afrique: Réalités, défis et opportunités.

The Africa Game Time Summit embodies this spirit. Over two days, we will bring together 200 of the most influential sports leaders, visionaries, and innovators from both the private and public sectors. Together, we will celebrate African success stories, forge strategic partnerships, and shape the future of sports on the continent. With a program designed to inspire action, our summit features impactful conferences, workshops, and a dedicated deal room “Under the Baobab” to connect entrepreneurs and investors.

Hosted in the beautiful Kingdom of Morocco during the Africa Cup of Nations, the summit also serves as a testament to Africa’s rich cultural heritage and its readiness to lead on the global stage. With cutting-edge sessions on sports tech, fan engagement, sustainable development, and more, we aim to highlight Africa’s role as a catalyst for growth and innovation.

None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our partners, sponsors, and stakeholders. I extend my deepest gratitude for your commitment to this vision and invite you to be part of this transformative journey.

Let’s seize this moment to turn Africa’s sports dreams into reality. Together, we can create a legacy of impact and excellence that will echo for generations to come.

Warm regards,
Will Mbiakop
Executive Chairman, Africa Game Time Summit

Biography

Will Mbiakop is a global expert in sports and entertainment with over 20 years of experience, including 10 years at NBA Africa. Renowned for his work in emerging markets like Africa and the Middle East, he specializes in sports business, investment, branding, e-sports, and youth development. Will has led impactful initiatives, including the Africa Sports Investment Fund, and played a pivotal role in using sports as a tool for sustainable development.

An accomplished author of Africa Sports Industry: Understanding the Game and curator of Africa Sports Industry Updates (ASCI), Will is a regular contributor to global media like CNN and Bloomberg. As a sought-after speaker and moderator, he has featured at leading events, including the OECD Africa Forum, NBA Africa Innovation Summit, and World Bank seminars.

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Abdou Diop

Forvis Mazars Managing Director

Mr. Abdou Diop is Managing Partner of Mazars Audit & Conseil, an international audit and consulting firm. For over 25 years, he has been providing consulting and audit services in Morocco and across Africa, working with public-interest companies (large, public or private), international donors, and governments (Burkina Faso, Comoros, Mauritania, Burundi, Senegal, Madagascar, etc.) on issues related to strategy, sectoral reforms, and development policies. He also supports the development of numerous Moroccan companies on the African continent, including banks (Attijariwafa Bank, Banque Centrale Populaire), insurance companies (RMA), telecom operators (Maroc Telecom), manufacturers (Plastima), and real estate operators (Palmeraie Holding, AGI, etc.).

Abdou Diop previously served as President of the Africa and South-South Commission of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM). He coordinated the activities of the Economic Impulse Groups, notably Morocco-Ivory Coast and Morocco-Senegal. He was also responsible for implementing actions to improve the legal and fiscal framework for cooperation between Morocco and other African and Southern countries, as well as supporting and structuring development and BtoB actions between Moroccan companies and Southern companies. Mr. Diop is also regularly sought after for his expertise in numerous economic sectors and his knowledge of the African continent to provide insights through articles and publications. He also acts as a panelist and moderator in national and international forums and conferences.

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Mouad Hajji

World Cup 2030 Lead

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Desire Koussawo

SAGES Africa Founder and CEO

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Adama Gueye

Orange Ventures , Head of Investment for Africa

As the Lead for Middle East and Africa at Orange Ventures, Adama Gaye plays a pivotal role in managing the corporate venture capital arm of Orange Group, which oversees €350 million in assets, including €50 million dedicated to the MEA region. By leveraging Orange Group's expertise, networks, and capital on the continent, Orange Ventures accelerates the growth and expansion of businesses, propelling them towards global success.

Adama Gaye is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris (France). With over a decade of experience in Africa, including business development roles at Saint-Gobain and strategic positions at Orange MEA, Adama joined Orange Ventures in 2024. Adama has also worked within the United Nations organization in New York for the Mauritanian Ambassador and for Hubert Vedrine, the former Foreign Minister of France.

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Dr Yasmine Alaoui

Principal, Gratiya Africa

Yasmine Alaoui is a university lecturer and senior consultant specializing in governance, attractiveness and territorial marketing. She holds a doctorate in economics and management, as well as specialized diplomas in territorial marketing and public management (IMPGT Aix-en-Provence, Aix-Marseille Université/SciencePo, ENCG).
She is a member of the executive board of the Observatoire de la Protection de l'Environnement et des Monuments Historique de la ville de TANGER/Doctoral thesis on territorial identity. She has advised on numerous territorial marketing projects in Morocco (Tangier, Casablanca, Marrakech, Oujda, Dakhla) as well as in France, Spain and West Africa. Her expertise covers market studies, diagnostics, strategies, operational plans and evaluations.

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Ibrahim Sagna

Silverbacks Holdings Executive Chairman

Ibrahim Sagna (pronounced “San Ya”) is an institutional platformbuilder with over 25 years of experience in global finance. Mr. Sagna serves today as the Executive Chairman of SilverbacksHoldings, an alternative investment firm focused primarily on acquiring strategic stakes in select professional sports franchises and media properties. He is the Vice-Chairman and a Founding Partner of the Cape Town Tigers, a South African basketball franchise that participates in the NBA’s league in Africa, the Basketball Africa League (“BAL”). Silverbacks Holdings also invests selectively in dominant technology companies but essentially intervenes in tech through a fund of fundstrategy.

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Ronny Turiaf

NBA Champion, Investor, EVP Strategy Owner Sporting Club Escaldes

Ronny Turiaf is a retired French former professional basketball player who played 10 seasons in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Minnesota Timberwolves, winning an NBA championship in 2012 with the Heat. Turiaf was a member of the French national team and was inducted into the French Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.
From NBA champion to cultural entrepreneur, his journey is a constant exploration of performance, identity, and transformation. Today, he supports athletes, creatives, and leaders in their life transitions—whether it's reinventing themselves, launching a meaningful project, or rediscovering their inner alignment.
As the founder of Maison Verveau, a creative retreat surrounded by nature, he creates spaces conducive to reflection, connection, and transformation. I also advise brands, institutions, and individuals on human dynamics, strategy, and impact.

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Paulo Gomes

Orango Investment Founder & CEO

Paulo Gomes is a global business leader, active environmentalist and a key political actor in Guinea Bissau.

His constant search for how to reposition the country and help it become stable and prosperous is what led him to initiate the Bissau Economic Forum now in its second edition. The forum is a bi-annual discussion and investment forum on cooperation and the economic transformation of the country with all stakeholders from civil society, private sector and the government in order to attract foreign investment as well as create employment.

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David Mignot

Canal+ Africa CEO

David Mignot is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications and holds a DEA (postgraduate degree) in Economics from Paris Dauphine University.
He began his career in 1996 at the consulting firm Bossard Gemini Consulting, specializing in the Pay TV and Telecom sectors.
Founder and CEO of Parabole Réunion from 1999 to 2008, David Mignot then joined the Outremer Telecom Group as Deputy CEO in charge of the Indian Ocean region, restoring profitability and successfully implementing mobile offerings. In 2011, David Mignot joined the Canal+ Group as Project Director in charge of the strategic plan.
Since June 2013, David Mignot has been CEO of CANAL+ INTERNATIONAL for Africa.

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Clare Akamanzi

NBA Africa CEO

As CEO of NBA Africa, Clare Akamanzi oversees the NBA’s business and basketball development efforts across the continent. She is responsible for growing the popularity of basketball, the NBA, and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) through grassroots development, media distribution, corporate partnerships, and social responsibility initiatives that enhance the livelihoods of African youth and families.

Before joining NBA Africa in January 2024, Akamanzi served as CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) for six and a half years, driving Rwanda’s economic development through private sector growth.

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Cyril Gane

MMA Star and Lori6Ventures President

Cyril "Bon Gamin" Gane is a French professional mixed martial artist, investor and actor, who currently competes in the UFC's heavyweight division, where he is a former Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion and currently ranked #1. Gane started in Muay Thai, winning the national title before transitioning to MMA in 2018. He quickly rose to prominence, becoming the TKO Heavyweight Champion and later joining the UFC in 2019, where he won the interim heavyweight title in 2021. Outside the Octagon, Ciryl has co-founded ARES Fighting Championship and continues to make impactful strides in sports, technology, and media through his Family Office, LORI6 Ventures.

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Remy Rioux

AFD Group CEO

An expert in economics and international financial institutions, Rémy Rioux has held high-level positions in a career devoted to development, Africa and the French economy. After serving as Chief of Staff of the French Economy and Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, he was appointed by Laurent Fabius as Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and coordinated the finance agenda for the French Presidency of COP21, up to the final negotiation of the Paris Agreement.

In 2024, he was mandated by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, to organize the first International Summit on Sport for Sustainable Development, on the eve of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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Aida Diarra

VISA SVP Head of SSA

Aida Diarra joined Visa as SVP & Head of Sub Saharan Africa in November 2018. In this capacity, she overseas Visa’s business operations in fifty countries and seven offices in Sub Saharan Africa. Her focus is on digitizing cash, driving wider digital acceptance, and promoting financial inclusion in the diverse markets of the region. She is a recognized leader in the financial services and digital finance industries, having previously led Western Union’s Africa portfolio.
Aida has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in International Business & Management from the University of Hartford, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from American Business School in France.

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Will Mbiakop

ASCI Executive Chairman

Founder of the Game Time Summit A 20+ year veteran in the sports industry in Europe Middle East and Africa, Will Mbiakop is the founder and Executive Chairman of the African Sports and Creative Institute (ASCI), CEO of AMW, Founder of the Game Time Summit and investor. AMW is a strategic advisory firm focusing on sports monetization and investment. ASCI delivers business intelligence and capacity building programs, contributing to uplifting the sports & creative ecosystem in Africa. Previously, as head of Business Development for NBA Africa for about a decade, Mbiakop was instrumental in the growth of the NBA on the continent. As a speaker and well-respected subject matter expert, his insights on sports and creative industries, have been featured on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, AfreximBank, World Bank annual meetings and more. Mbiakop is a published author of 2 pioneering books in French and English: “Africa Sports Industry: Understanding the Game” & “Economie du Sport en Afrique”.

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Fouzi Lekjaa

Minister of Budget – President of Royal Moroccan Football Federation

Fouzi Lekjaa is a prominent Moroccan politician, government official, and sports administrator born on July 23, 1970. He has served as President of the Moroccan Royal Football Federation since 2014 and as the Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget since 2021. His international roles include membership in the executive committees of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). He was honored with the Order of the Throne for leading Morocco's historic 2022 World Cup performance and was appointed to head the committee for Morocco's bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.