Africell Sierra Leone has launched a major new partnership with NBA Africa, marking the first time the global basketball brand will roll out youth development programmes in the country. The initiative, unveiled on Sunday, 7 December 2025, forms part of a wider Africell Group–NBA Africa collaboration and is expected to transform Sierra Leone into a rising centre for basketball talent in West Africa.
The expansion builds on the success of the Africell/NBA Africa scheme introduced in Angola in 2022, which has since delivered elite training, competitive pathways and upgraded facilities for thousands of young players. Sierra Leone now joins Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and The Gambia in benefiting from NBA Africa’s growing regional footprint.
A symbolic signing ceremony was held on 23 September at the NBA’s global headquarters in New York, where Africell CEO and founder Ziad Dalloul and NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum formalised the multi-country agreement. The partnership, they said, reflects a shared commitment to using sport as a tool for youth empowerment and community development.
Under the programme, Sierra Leone will see the rollout of a wide range of youth-focused initiatives, including:
• High-performance training clinics led by certified coaches
• A major Africell-backed 3-on-3 national tournament in early 2026, with footage made available to NBA Africa scouts
• The establishment of training academies to support long-term athlete development
• Refurbishment of basketball courts to improve access to quality playing surfaces
• Support for local basketball structures, aimed at strengthening grassroots participation
These investments are expected to raise national standards, widen the talent pool and assist Sierra Leone in integrating more fully into Africa’s expanding basketball ecosystem.
Ziad Dalloul noted the powerful influence of the NBA brand across the continent.
“The NBA represents excellence and aspiration. Extending this collaboration to Sierra Leone reflects our commitment to youth empowerment, and we are excited to see the long-term impact across communities.”
NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi welcomed the expansion, saying the success of the partnership in Angola demonstrated how sport can transform young lives.
“Sierra Leone, where Africell has deep community roots and where passion for sport runs high, offers an incredible opportunity for meaningful youth development.”
The initiative aligns closely with the Africell Impact Foundation, which supports projects in sports, health, education and community wellbeing. Through basketball, Africell aims to instil values such as teamwork, discipline and healthy living among Sierra Leone’s growing youth population.
Africell operates across Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Angola and the DRC, serving nearly 20 million customers. NBA Africa, the regional affiliate of the National Basketball Association, oversees youth development programmes, social impact initiatives, media distribution and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) across the continent.
