Africa
Youth football and unity take centre stage in Côte d’Ivoire
Focus on promoting unity, developing and strengthening football governance
FIFA and CAF presidents visited Côte d’Ivoire to begin two-day itinerary; Focus on promoting unity, developing and strengthening football governance; Continent’s inaugural pan-African inter-school football championship also launched.
The presidents of CAF and FIFA travelled to Côte d’Ivoire on Monday as part of their first joint mission in Africa since the election of Dr Patrice Motsepe as the confederation’s new president in March. Central to their two-day itinerary were meetings with government and football officials, with the focus on promoting unity and serenity, developing and strengthening the country’s football governance and launching the continent’s inaugural pan-African inter-school football championship in Abobo, a municipality just outside the country’s capital Abidjan.
Arriving in Abidjan they were greeted by members of the normalisation committee of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF), including President Mariam Dao Gabala, who along with her colleagues has been responsible for bringing football back into play in Côte d’Ivoire.
An official dinner was hosted for the delegation by Ivorian Minister for the Promotion of Youth, Professional Integration and Civic Service, Mamadou Touré, in the presence of Minister for National Education and Literacy, Marietou Koné. Addressing the gathering CAF President Dr Motsepe underlined the unifying power of football being more important than differences between diverse groups of people. He was also keen to highlight CAF’s robust support for the West African nation stating: “Côte d’Ivoire has CAF’s total commitment and 2023’s AFCON here will be the best ever.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino bolstered this message further saying: “We need to work together to make football great and make the millions of passionate fans in Côte d’Ivoire, a country that has won the AFCON twice and will soon host it, happy.”
Present at the event to provide their support for the joint CAF/FIFA mission were CAF’s four vice presidents, presidents of the five CAF zonal unions and presidents from CAF Member Associations in West Africa Football Zone Union B.
This morning, the CAF and FIFA delegation’s focus was on viewing the work of the FIF normalisation ccommittee first hand, in order to understand what had been completed and the challenges it has faced. Addressing the assembled media outside the FIF building Dr Motsepe congratulated President Gabala and her team on their outstanding work and strong commitment to bringing peace and unity back to Ivorian football.
This sentiment was echoed by FIFA President Infantino who underlined the progress the FIF had made, particularly with the organisation of an elective congress, which it hopes to hold by the end of the year. “Côte d’Ivoire has the unwavering support of FIFA,” he said.
The joint delegation then travelled to the Ministry of Sports for a meeting with Minister Claude Paulin Danho. Discussions covered the country’s hosting of next year’s AFCON competition, and improving football governance. Speaking to the minister, Infantino expressed FIFA’s commitment and willingness to work hand in hand with the Ivorian authorities to “reinvigorate Ivorian football, especially given the outstanding talent it has produced. The football legends from Côte d’Ivoire have greatly contributed to building football history in Africa and across the world,” he said.
Ivorian Legends were very much pivotal to talks amongst the three men, with the CAF president reminiscing with Minister Danho about Siaka Tiéné, a young Ivorian player who had been one of his favourites due to his talent and passion, when Dr Motsepe ran South African football club Mamelodi Sundowns, prior to his election as CAF president.
The delegation were then received by the President of Côte d’Ivoire, His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, at the Presidential Palace. During the meeting the joint delegation stressed the outstanding talent in the country and the need to harness this through the development of youth football and CAF’s first ever pan-African inter-school football championship.
Following the discussions with the Ivorian Head of State, Infantino said: “President Ouattara is a great fan of football, so it is an honour to be here today to talk about how we can work together to support the youth of this country through the beautiful game. Côte d’Ivoire is a county with a legacy of talented footballers and many future ones yet to be discovered, so it is important for Africa and the rest of the footballing world that FIFA, CAF and the Ivorian authorities work together to develop the game and elevate it to the highest of heights.”
The final engagement of the day for the CAF/FIFA joint delegation was the launch of the pan-African inter-school football championship in Abobo. Fittingly, a football match featuring mixed teams of schoolchildren kicked off the initiative, with both presidents putting their technical and tactical football skills to the test as team coaches.
Following the match Dr Motsepe announced that the Motsepe Foundation, founded by himself and his wife Precious Moloi-Motsepe, would make a donation of USD $10 million to the ground-breaking new pan-African inter-school football championship, which will take place across the six zonal regions of CAF. After the match, the FIFA President said: “The gesture from the Motsepe Foundation, Patrice and his wife Precious, is exceptional. It’s a step forward for this competition that will give hope and joy to thousands of children in Côte d’Ivoire and throughout Africa who love football. Thank you to the Motsepe family for showing us Ubuntu in action.”
The joint delegation ended their visit to Côte d’Ivoire with a press conference focused on the African league, the development of women’s football, strengthening football governance, this November’s FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar and how to bridge divisions in Ivorian football. Both the CAF and FIFA presidents also outlined the plans to roll out the inaugural pan-African inter-school championship in Côte d’Ivoire to the assembled Ivorian and African media.
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Logifuture-powered Bet9ja releases Moses Itauma mini-series ahead of Jermaine Franklin fight
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Nigeria’s leading sportsbook to provide fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes access
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Logifuture-powered Bet9ja announced sponsorship deal with Itauma in August
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Bet9ja social media followers grew by more than 10% to 3.1m since Itauma partnership
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Unbeaten Itauma due to fight Franklin in Manchester in January
Bet9ja, Nigeria’s leading sportsbook, powered by Logifuture, has launched a series of videos, giving boxing fans exclusive access to brand ambassador Moses Itauma as he prepares for his next fight.
Itauma, an unbeaten British Heavyweight of Nigerian descent, became an ambassador for Logifuture-powered Bet9ja in August this year.
Since then, Bet9ja has been given unprecedented access to Itauma’s camp, including his preparation for his victory over Dillian White, which took his professional record to 13 wins, with 11 by knockout.
Bet9ja x Moses Itauma: The Homecoming is being released in four parts, with the first available on Bet9ja’s YouTube channel today.
Watch: Moses Itauma Homecoming Episode 1 will premiere on YouTube at 10am GMT on Monday, December 1: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y9Lx9MLlnnA
The series features footage from Itauma’s visit to Lagos, Nigeria in October – a trip supported by Logifuture and Bet9ja.
Arriving on a Bet9ja-branded private jet, Itauma was greeted by fans at Lagos airport, before attending the Bet9ja sponsored Chaos In The Ring boxing event in the city.
The following day saw Itauma join a sparring session with promising boxers at a local boxing gym before attending a Bet9ja retail outlet and hosting a party with notable guests from Nigerian music, arts and politics.
The number of followers across Bet9ja’s social channels have grown more than 10% since the partnership with Itauma was officially announced and now stands at more than 3.1 million.
Itauma is now back in camp preparing to face American opponent Jermain Franklin in Manchester on January 24.
Itauma said: “It was an immensely proud moment to return to the place of my father’s birth and the reception I received from everyone in Lagos was truly humbling.
“I am extremely proud of my heritage and I cannot say enough thanks to everyone for such a warm welcome and messages of support that I will take with me into my next fight in January.”
Bet9ja is powered by Logifuture, a leading provider of iGaming products and services, including Simulate, Zoom Soccer and Swipe Games.
Logifuture CMO Ben Cove said: “We are thrilled to be able to give fans unprecedented access to Moses through the Bet9ja x Moses Itauma: The Homecoming series and contribute to the excitement as he prepares for his next challenge against Jermaine Franklin.
“When we partnered with Moses, we knew we were backing an extraordinary talent destined to make his mark on world boxing. But beyond his ability in the ring, his connection to Nigeria and his pride in that heritage make him a perfect fit for Bet9ja.
“Moses embodies the energy, resilience and ambition that define Nigerian sport and culture. Seeing him return to Lagos and receive such a heartfelt welcome from fans shows exactly why this partnership matters – to him, to Bet9ja and to the millions who follow his journey.
“We’re proud to stand beside Moses as he continues to inspire and build his legacy, both in the ring and across the wider sporting community.”
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Nigerian operator unveils fresh suite of games via new integration with leading emerging-markets aggregator
GinjaBet, a rapidly growing Nigerian operator, is now firmly established with an extensive portfolio of casino content delivered through its integration with QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets across Africa.
GinjaBet is a rising-star challenger brand with big plans for the Nigeria market and beyond. As this market coalesces, customers are increasingly demanding experiences that are not only functional but also convenient to use, and personalised to their preferred betting patterns. In this regard, QTech Games and GinjaBet have aligned their complementary skills to deliver a simplified betting experience and optimised user journey across casino, thanks to an adaptable range of content that is both locally authentic and appealing to the next generation of players.
This collaboration will also explore new cross-sell opportunities between sportsbook and casino, with next summer’s football World Cup on the horizon, always a key acquisition and retention driver for global sportsbooks, but above all in Africa where soccer is king.
GinjaBet’s UI has been optimised for mobile-first play, a cornerstone of QTech’s RNG model, which is founded on its fully-owned and customised technical platform, affording operators the fastest integration available, backed by reliable performance and customer support, localised for every region across Africa. By leveraging QTech’s wider global expertise, GinjaBet enjoyed a seamless casino launch, and is now well-positioned to sustain its rapid growth in the near future with a casino product that rides on a scalable and robust framework. This project has also been carefully curated to responsibly track Nigerian player proclivities.
Ekaterina Mayorova, QTech Games’ Head of Region for Africa, said: “We’re thrilled to already be live in Nigeria with GinjaBet, a dynamic brand that is picking up some irresistible momentum in a competitive marketplace. We’re proud to put our shoulder to the wheel of their ambitions, affording GinjaBet the ability to scale their casino content with more localised games and product developments.
“QTech Games has placed a premium on understanding markets at a hyper-local level, alongside bridging that gap between retail and online channels, to open a flexible gateway to success in the Nigerian betting environment. With its mobile-first penetration, comparatively mature smartphone adoption rates and ramping digital economy, Nigeria remains one of Africa’s largest economies, and GinjaBet’s recent growth only underscores the opportunity.
“And we have a suite of other product improvements designed to keep our partners ahead of their rivals in a region where no leadership position can be taken for granted. In addition, our proprietary tech means we’re the only aggregator which is not just showcasing fantastic games but also adding engaging features (such as our AI-driven recommendation engine, QTech Play, alongside other tournament and progressive-jackpot elements) to bolster QTech’s vantage point across the African landscape. We’re constantly adding new content to the platform, prioritising suppliers that deliver unique and localised content, including games which solve familiar local challenges to engagement, such as handset quality limitations, restricted access to fast networks, or high data costs.”
Joe Richa, Ginjabet CEO, added: “GinjaBet is committed to a conscious strategy of harnessing world-class technology and local Nigerian culture. This partnership with QTech is an organic extension of that approach across our stunning new casino suite which showcases globally recognised games, ably supported by specialised content, culturally pertinent promotions, and a tone of voice pitched to connect with younger Nigerian demographics.
“We’re a fast-moving Nigerian brand, focused on delivering specialised, reliable, and entertaining gaming experiences tailored to African markets, driving innovation through responsible gaming and operational efficiency. Our dynamic growth since launch in 2025 has already been hugely encouraging, but QTech’s flexible platform ecosystem has now put us in a position where we can plan for the future with confidence across casino and sportsbook, particularly with the World Cup upcoming fast.”
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Booming Games is thrilled to announce a significant milestone in its growth journey through a strategic partnership with the leading African operator, SportPesa. This collaboration marks a pivotal step forward in Booming Games’ mission to expand its footprint in the African gaming market.
As a result of this partnership, Booming Games’ high-quality slots are now seamlessly integrated into SportPesa’s platform, enabling players across Africa to access an array of top-performing titles.
Notable games include fan favourites such as ‘Burning Classic’, ‘Gold Gold Gold’, ‘TNT Bonanza’, and ‘Cash Pig’. Additionally, SportPesa’s players will now have access to Booming Games’ diverse portfolio, featuring exciting games like ‘Ronaldinho Spins’, ‘Power of the Vikings’ and ‘Buffalo Hold and Win’.
This collaboration underscores SportPesa’s commitment to growth and innovation, as well as its strategic focus on fostering robust partnerships to achieve new heights in the global gaming industry with partners such as Booming Games.
Solomon Godwin, Head of Africa at Booming Games, expressed his enthusiasm: “We’re delighted to continue our expansion in the African betting markets, and SportPesa’s strong and trusted brand will only enhance these possibilities. Our slot offerings are as wide-ranging as they are high quality, providing exceptional entertainment and sustainability for their customers. We believe we can offer real value to African players.”
Paul Wilson, Senior Product Manager at SportPesa, added: “We are very happy with the new partnership with Booming Games. Offering their immersive, dynamic, and vibrant games to our customers in Kenya, Sportpesa Tanzania, and around the globe on our platform is exciting. Booming Games’ titles will be a great addition to our market-leading casino lobby, and I’m sure our customers will enjoy playing them.”
The post Booming Games and SportPesa forge strategic partnership to elevate the African gaming market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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