Absa’s deal with Eliud Kipchoge shows a different route: one athlete, carrying a brand across 12 markets.

This leaves the league without a dedicated training base on the continent weeks before Senegal hosts the Youth Olympic Games.

Investing in his hometown, Mané envisions that processing can turn one of Senegal’s biggest agricultural challenges into a commercial opportunity.

On has signed Kylian Mbappé as it launches into football, ending a Nike relationship that started when he was eight years old.

This locks in one of university running's most decorated recent graduates.

The brand did not sign him as a footballer this time. It signed him as a media asset. Under the ambassador agreement, Diomande will front global campaigns, exclusive fan experiences and original content across Sporty Group's platforms.

Shingirai Manyarara as its newest athlete, and the deal is built as much around his ties to South Africa as his form in the TOP 14.

The partnership folds a new signing into an existing sponsorship rather than standing alone as a separate contract, which is the more efficient route for a manufacturer already paying for the Cheetahs' branding rights.

Alex Albon will travel to South Africa at the end of July, marking the first official visit by an active Williams driver in more than three decades.

The 17-year-old becomes On's second South African track signing in under three months, extending a strategy built on backing athletes before the market prices them.

Rwanda is extending a sports-marketing strategy that until now has run entirely through team and league sponsorships.

The ambassadorship for Ria is part of a deliberate strategy of aligning with African football figures whose stories resonate with its core customer base.

This brings together a fast-scaling consumer platform and one of Nigeria's most recognizable football figures, as Chowdeck looks to strengthen brand visibility and deepen customer engagement across its core markets.

The partnership indicates a growing trend among Egypt's fintech platforms, where sports partnerships are becoming a key tool for brand visibility and cultural relevance - particularly as a way of reaching the next generation of consumers.

The platform is designed to address gaps in healthcare access, financial planning, and long-term security for athletes in Kenya.

The deal marks On’s entry into South Africa’s track and field market, as it builds presence across African athletics.

In a statement, the league said it had “made the decision to part ways with Francis Ngannou,” adding that it has “great respect for Francis as both an athlete and a person”. Ngannou joined the PFL in 2023 after a high-profile departure from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as one of the most significant free-agent signings in MMA history.

Swiss performance brand On has signed 18-year-old Kenyan middle-distance and steeplechase athlete Mercy Chepngeno to a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreement, marking a notable commercial milestone for one of East Africa's most promising junior prospects.

A limited run of customized chocolate bars will be distributed across selected markets, with proceeds supporting Frimpong's foundation, Hope Of A Billion.

Rather than a traditional endorsement, the collaboration is positioned as a purpose-driven partnership — focused on authentic storytelling, community initiatives, and highlighting the role of food, family, and everyday people in South African life.