The Basketball Africa League has announced the unveiling of six newly refurbished basketball courts in Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal. This initiative is in support of NBA Africa's commitment to build or renovate 1,000 courts across the continent over the next decade. The courts are expected to reach thousands of youth and community members annually. The unveiling of the courts is a significant step towards making the game more accessible to young people across Africa.
The first two courts were unveiled in Saint-Louis, Senegal, in collaboration with Senegalese national oil and gas company Société des Pétroles du Sénégal (PETROSEN). The indoor court in Saint-Louis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was unveiled at Université Gaston Berger (UGB), one of Senegal's leading academic institutions. The court will provide UGB students and the broader Saint-Louis community with a modern space for basketball and community programming.
Another court was launched in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in collaboration with Wave Côte d'Ivoire. The renovated court at Groupe Scolaire Lac in Koumassi is expected to serve nearly 3,000 players every week, including 2,500 students. The site will also host a basketball development program for 300 girls ages 18 and under from eight schools across the community. Every Saturday, the site will host the Ligue Jeune, a youth basketball competition for aspiring players ages 18 and under.
Additional courts will be unveiled through December 2026 in Dakar, Senegal, in collaboration with Ville de Dakar; in Joal, Senegal in collaboration with Woodside Energy; and in Guédiawaye, Senegal, and Owerri, Nigeria, in collaboration with Qatar Foundation. Each court features upgraded playing surfaces, spectator seating, and new basketball stanchions, with select sites also featuring modernized changing rooms, sanitation facilities, and lighting.
The court in Joal, a coastal fishing community on Senegal's Petite Côte, will serve as a central gathering space in a community where access to organized sports infrastructure has historically been limited. The refurbished court will include secure fencing and refurbished sanitation facilities. The launch event will feature a basketball clinic for 100 boys and girls ages 16 and under.
The BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall stated that the newly refurbished courts reflect the league's commitment to investing in communities and making the game more accessible to young people across Africa. The courts will create spaces where the next generation of African basketball players, fans, and changemakers can grow, connect, and thrive. The unveiling of the courts is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
The unveiling of the six new courts brings the total number of courts renovated or built by the Basketball Africa League to six. The league aims to make a positive impact on the lives of young people across Africa through the game of basketball. The courts will serve as a hub for community engagement, youth development, and organized sport.
Key points
- The Basketball Africa League has unveiled six newly refurbished basketball courts in Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal.
- The courts are part of NBA Africa's commitment to build or renovate 1,000 courts across the continent over the next decade.
- The courts will create spaces where the next generation of African basketball players, fans, and changemakers can grow, connect, and thrive.
