“Nigeria Could Become Africa’s Sport and Entertainment Hub for Major Competitions, Productions and Talent Development,” Says Former FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura

In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with The Punch ( https://apo-opa.co/4xV7KqX ), Nigeria’s most widely read newspaper, Former FIFA Secretary General and ACG Advisory Board member Fatma Samoura makes the case that Nigeria has everything it takes to become Africa’s sport and entertainment hub, calls for a fundamental shift away from the standalone stadium model, and argues that the continent’s sporting talent and the economic value it generates must stay on African soil. Ms Samoura, who served as FIFA Secretary General from 2016 to 2023, the first woman and first African to hold the position, addresses the infrastructure gap holding back Africa’s sport economy, explains her decision to join the Advisory Board of African Collaborations Group (ACG) ( www.ACGafrica.com ), and outlines why integrated sport and entertainment districts represent the future of sport infrastructure on the continent. Key excerpts from the interview: On ACG’s model: “What I find interesting about ACG is that it looks beyond the traditional stadium model, towards sport and entertainment districts that work all year round, combining sport with hospitality, entertainment, retail, training and community facili