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By JOE APU
Women’s basketball in Africa is poised for significant growth following the unveiling of an ambitious 2024–2027 Action Plan designed to expand participation, strengthen competitions and increase leadership opportunities for women across the continent.
The roadmap was highlighted by Madame Gina Adekambi, Vice President of FIBA Africa Zone Three and Chairperson of the Women’s Development Council of the Zone, as part of ongoing efforts to advance the women’s game at all levels.
According to Adekambi, the strategic plan focuses on grassroots development, elite competition, capacity building, resource mobilization, media visibility and the active involvement of former players in basketball administration and development.
A major pillar of the programme is the promotion of youth and mini-basketball. The Council plans to encourage clubs to establish Under-16 and Under-18 teams, organize youth competitions and mini-basketball forums across member federations, and dedicate the month of March annually to Women’s Basketball Month through educational and promotional activities.
The initiative also seeks to strengthen senior women’s basketball through the organization of an African Women’s Club Championship every season and the eventual establishment of a professional women’s league in partnership with FIBA Africa.
Adekambi emphasized the importance of developing female coaches, referees, administrators and medical personnel through training programmes, leadership workshops, mentoring schemes and online learning platforms. Reproductive health awareness campaigns will also form part of the development framework.
The Action Plan further proposes the creation of sponsorship and lobbying teams, scholarship opportunities for talented young players, and stronger partnerships between schools and basketball clubs to ensure sustainable growth.
Former women basketball players are expected to play a key role in the implementation of the strategy. Plans are underway to conduct a census of former players, encourage the formation of alumni associations and increase women’s representation within basketball federation executive boards.
Recommendations from the recent CBF Meeting 25 further strengthened the agenda. Among them are calls for women’s national and club teams to be coached by female coaches, the integration of former players into federation boards, and the organization of motivational panels featuring former players and celebrities.
The meeting also recommended staging Under-16 competitions at regional level, providing travel and accommodation support for female coaching courses, and encouraging federations to actively recruit and train young coaches. Regions were urged to organize online training programmes, while FIBA was encouraged to provide additional mini-basketballs to support grassroots development.
In addition, members of the Basketball for Women Commission were tasked with identifying associations of former players and female coaches within their federations to strengthen networking and development initiatives.
Adekambi noted that improved media coverage, stronger digital communication platforms and the establishment of online reporting channels for harassment and abuse cases will also form part of efforts to create a safer and more visible environment for women’s basketball in Africa.
She expressed confidence that the Action Plan and accompanying recommendations would provide a solid foundation for the continued growth of women’s basketball and create more opportunities for women and girls to excel both on and off the court.
