Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire are hosting the first projects in the latest phase of the Basketball Africa League’s infrastructure refurbishment programme. The first court opened on 30 September at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal, in partnership with the Société des pétroles du Sénégal (PETROSEN).
The covered facility on the university campus is intended for students and the local community. It aims to improve basketball playing conditions and support sporting and community activities.
On 3 October, a second court opened in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, at Groupe scolaire Lac de Koumassi, supported by Wave Côte d’Ivoire. According to organisers, it is expected to serve nearly 3,000 users each week, including 2,500 pupils. It will also host a basketball development programme for 300 girls aged 18 and under from eight local schools.
The venue will host the Ligue Jeune every Saturday, a competition for players aged 18 and under. Work included improved lighting and new benches made from recycled materials. It is the second court opened in Abidjan under the BAL–Wave Côte d’Ivoire partnership, following the first in November 2025.
Senegal expands its sporting infrastructure
The programme continued on 7 October in Joal-Fadiouth on Senegal’s Petite Côte. The refurbished court is intended to give residents a place to play in an area with limited access to dedicated sporting facilities. Work included securing the perimeter and renovating toilets. A basketball introductory camp for 100 boys and girls aged 16 and under marked its opening.
A fourth opening took place on 9 October in Dakar, on the Atlantic coast. Work included installing a scoreboard, building storage space and adding fencing to improve playing conditions and protect the facility. The ceremony was followed by the BAL City Run finals, a neighbourhood tournament involving 12 local teams.
Two more courts due by December
The programme is set to continue in Senegal with an opening scheduled for 30 October in Guédiawaye, under the BAL4HER project. Presented as the programme’s first court in Africa, the site will promote girls’ participation in sport and personal development.
Alongside basketball, the facility will accommodate volleyball and handball. It will include upgraded lighting, changing rooms, toilets and meeting and training rooms. Workshops on leadership, interpersonal skills, health and nutrition are also planned.
Nigeria is due to open a programme facility in December in Owerri, Imo State. Africa’s second BAL4HER court is supported by Chiney Ogwumike, a two-time WNBA All-Star and BAL ambassador, and her non-profit organisation Queens of the Continent.
Organisers say the site already serves more than 300 participants. Planned work includes renovating changing rooms and toilets and improving lighting and drainage.
Through these projects, the BAL aims to improve access to sporting infrastructure and encourage young people to play basketball. The programme supports NBA Africa’s announced goal of building or refurbishing 1,000 courts across the continent over the next ten years.
‘These newly refurbished courts reflect our commitment to investing in communities and making basketball more accessible to young people across Africa. With our partners, we are creating spaces where the next generation of African players, fans and changemakers can grow, connect and thrive,’ said BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall.
Source: Sport News Africa.
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