By Enock Akonnor (Managing Editor) enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
Ghana’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Kofi Adams, has called for a paradigm shift in African football, emphasizing that the continent’s sporting future must be anchored in sound policies, commercial strategy, and sustainable value creation, not passion alone.
Speaking at the African Football Business Summit in Mombasa, Hon. Adams outlined Ghana’s new blueprint for football development, centered on structural reforms and financial empowerment for local clubs.
“Africa’s football future will not be built on passion alone. It must be built on policy, commercial sense, and long-term value retention,” he declared in remarks later shared on his official Facebook page.
Highlighting Ghana’s roadmap, the Minister pointed to key initiatives including capital injection into domestic clubs, a restructured prize model, a national broadcast deal, and the ‘Grass to Class Policy’; a nationwide program aimed at transforming community pitches from dusty grounds to modern green turfs.
“Grassroots must become a market. Data must become an asset. Players must be finished products, not raw exports. That’s how we keep value on this continent,” he stated.
Hon. Adams also used the summit to engage with major figures in African and global football development, including Brian Wesaala, CEO of Football Foundation Africa; Hussein Mohammed, President of the Football Kenya Federation; Marlon Glean, President of the Grenada Football Association; and Mokgatle Mokgatle, CEO of MRM Sport Capital.
The discussions, according to the Minister, underscored the shared belief that African football must transition “from passion to policy, from hype to heritage, and from potential to product.”
“From Accra to Algiers, Nairobi to Lagos, the message remains the same—the time has come for Africa to structure its football economy, retain value locally, and move boldly toward a self-sustaining model,” he added.
The African Football Business Summit served as a strategic platform for dialogue on investment, governance, and innovation in the continent’s football industry. Hon. Adams’ remarks have since resonated widely, reinforcing Ghana’s position as a key advocate for the commercialization and modernization of African sports.
“The future is African,” the Minister concluded, “but only if we organise, invest, and execute.”
Source; www.leakyghana.com
Enock Akonnor is an experienced Ghanaian journalist, based in Kumasi and currently serves as the CEO and Managing Editor of www.leakyghana.com.
With a wealth of expertise built over many years in the media industry, he has earned a solid reputation as one of Ghana’s most sought-after journalists.
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