From Abuja's national stadium to community mini-arenas, the Nigerian Federal Government is making its biggest bet yet on sports as an economic driver.

Masai Ujiri's non-profit has built basketball courts in 16 African countries since launching its Built Within initiative in 2021. Court 50 was a milestone. Court 100 is the mission.

The FSC Stadium of Life officially opened on May 12 in Maseru, becoming the continent's first sports facility constructed with sustainably sourced timber.

First conceived under the name "Project Arena," the $100 million development is being built in the Victoria Island neighbourhood and is designed to host both major sporting events and concerts.

The King framed the project in explicitly competitive terms - arguing that a world-class facility is a prerequisite for developing a national team capable of qualifying for major tournaments,

The federation has began the construction phase of a multi-country aquatic infrastructure drive across Africa, with new swimming facilities now being built in Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Lesotho - all expected to open by October 2026.

Algeria has been pushing to upgrade its sporting facilities, as the country positions itself for future hosting opportunities, including potential bids for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Backed by President Félix Tshisekedi, the project will position Kinshasa as a regional hub for major sports and entertainment events with a planned seating capacity of 20,000.

Ghana is moving to strengthen its sports infrastructure through a strategic collaboration with Morocco, as policymakers look to replicate one of Africa's most advanced facility development models.

The Games, set to run from 31 October to 13 November 2026, will host around 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 from more than 200 countries, marking the first Olympic event ever staged on the African continent.

The project is expected to generate more than 25,000 jobs annually and introduce world-class infrastructure designed to support athletes, artists, and the broader creative economy.

Ghana is moving forward on plans first announced late last year to construct three modern stadiums within 2026, as part of a push to upgrade sports infrastructure nationwide.

As part of the country's sports development agenda, this inauguration marks the first of 10 planned football pitches under the FIFA Arena Project.

A payment, equivalent to KSh 3.9 billion, was confirmed by the Sports Ministry on 31 March, resolving weeks of uncertainty over Kenya's participation in the tri-nation "Pamoja" (meaning 'together' in Swahili) bid alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

The partnership links national team travel operations with Morocco’s multi-billion dollar airport expansion, positioning the country for increased international football activity.

Under a national development program - Angola has produced three internationally compliant stadiums in less than five months. As the country continues its ambition to host a future Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

The program, called Dribble for Peace, forms part of the broader Built Within project launched in 2021 by Giants of Africa. The initiative aims to build 100 community basketball courts across the continent, with 45 courts already completed across 13 countries.

The initiative is part of a broader partnership between FIFA, the IOC and ANOCA aimed at expanding access to modern sports infrastructure across Africa.

Kenyan President, William Ruto has directed Kenya's Ministry of Sports to fully fund the construction of a new 10,000-seat stadium in Kilifi, showing an accelerated push to upgrade national sports infrastructure.

The Moshood Abiola National Stadium is set to receive ₦24.6bn ($17.3m) as part of the The National Sports Commission's (NSC) ₦203.6bn($143.4m) allocation in Nigeria’s 2026 budget.