BAL extends court renovation drive across Africa

Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire are home to the first projects in the new phase of the basketball infrastructure renovation programme led by the Basketball Africa League. The first court was opened on 30 September at Gaston Berger University (UGB) in Saint-Louis, Senegal, in partnership with the Société des pétroles du Sénégal (PETROSEN).

Located on the university campus, the covered facility is intended for students and the local community. It is meant to improve playing conditions for basketball and encourage sporting and community activities.

On 3 October, a second court was opened in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, at the Groupe scolaire Lac de Koumassi, with the support of Wave Côte d’Ivoire. According to figures provided by the organisers, the facility is expected to host nearly 3,000 players every week, including 2,500 pupils. It will also serve as the base for a basketball development programme for 300 girls aged 18 or under, drawn from eight schools in the district.

Every Saturday the site will host the Ligue Jeune, a competition for players aged 18 and under. The works included improved lighting and the installation of new benches made from recycled materials. It is the second court opened in Abidjan under the partnership between the BAL and Wave Côte d’Ivoire, following a first project launched in November 2025.

Senegal strengthens its sporting network

The programme continued on 7 October in Joal-Fadiouth, on Senegal’s Petite Côte. The renovated court is meant to give residents a place to play sport in a town where access to dedicated facilities remains limited. The works included securing the perimeter and refurbishing the sanitary facilities. To mark the opening, an introductory basketball clinic brought together 100 boys and girls aged 16 or under.

A fourth opening took place on 9 October in Dakar, on the Atlantic coast. The works involved installing a scoreboard, building a storage room and putting up a fence. The aim is to improve playing conditions and protect the facilities. The ceremony was followed by the finals of the BAL City Run, a neighbourhood tournament featuring 12 local teams.

Two more courts due by December

The programme is set to continue in Senegal with the opening, scheduled for 30 October in Guédiawaye, of a renovated facility as part of the BAL4HER project. Billed as the first court of this programme built in Africa, the site will be dedicated to promoting women’s participation in sport and the personal development of young girls.

As well as basketball, the facility will be able to host volleyball and handball activities. It will include modernised lighting, changing rooms, toilets and rooms for meetings and training sessions. Workshops on leadership, interpersonal skills, health and nutrition are also planned there.

Nigeria will in turn host a facility from the programme in December, in the city of Owerri, in Imo State. This second BAL4HER court in Africa has the backing of Chiney Ogwumike, a two-time WNBA All-Star and BAL ambassador, and of her non-profit organisation, Queens of the Continent.

According to information provided by the organisers, the site already welcomes more than 300 participants. The planned works include renovating the changing rooms and toilets, and improving the lighting and the drainage system.

Through these various projects, the BAL aims to improve access to sports facilities and encourage young people to take up basketball. The programme is part of NBA Africa’s stated goal of building or renovating 1,000 courts across the continent over the next ten years.

“These newly renovated courts reflect our commitment to investing in communities and making basketball more accessible to young people across Africa. With our partners, we are creating places where the next generation of African players, fans and changemakers can grow, build connections and thrive,” said BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall.