African Collaborations Group Welcomes Aïcha Diop To Drive New Era Of Sport And Entertainment Development

African Collaborations Group (ACG), a leading strategic platform dedicated to advancing the industrialisation of sport in Africa through the development of bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems, has announced the appointment of Aïcha Diop to its Advisory Board.

With more than 18 years of international experience spanning Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Diop brings extensive expertise in strategic leadership, operational management, brand development, marketing strategy and audience growth. She currently works as a consultant specialising in brand marketing for sports organisations and athletes, while also offering deep knowledge of event operations and commercial development.

Diop previously held key leadership roles at NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League (BAL), contributing to the launch and expansion of the BAL, the first professional basketball league operated by the NBA outside North America. During her tenure, she supported multi-country initiatives, managed cross-functional collaborations across Africa, and played a role in strengthening the league’s brand presence through major marketing campaigns, partnership strategies and audience engagement programmes.

Before joining the sports industry, Diop developed her corporate leadership experience at IBM, where she managed regional projects across several African markets, connecting strategic planning with business execution and growth objectives. She also worked with Flash Entertainment, where she gained significant experience in producing and managing major sports, entertainment and cultural events. Her portfolio included involvement in global events such as Formula 1, UFC, athletics, tennis, football competitions and large-scale concerts across African and international markets.

Diop holds a Master’s degree in Sport & Lifestyle Management from Rome Business School and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Her addition to the ACG Advisory Board strengthens the organisation’s expertise in sports marketing, commercial activation, audience development and the growth of major sports properties across Africa. Her experience in building and scaling sports organisations will support ACG’s mission to create sustainable sport and entertainment district projects across the continent, where strong branding, commercial strategy and fan engagement are essential elements for long-term success.

“Aïcha Diop brings to our Advisory Board a genuinely distinctive combination of continental sport marketing expertise and hands-on experience of building major sport organisations from the ground up in Africa. Her role in the launch of the Basketball Africa League — the first professional NBA-operated league outside North America — is precisely the type of institution-building experience ACG needs as we originate bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems across the African continent. Her presence on our Advisory Board is a genuine strategic asset,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard Founder and Executive Chairman of ACG. 

The ACG Advisory Board plays a key role in providing strategic direction as ACG develops and structures major sport and entertainment district projects across Africa. The board supports the creation of commercially viable, mixed-use ecosystems by bringing together governments, development finance institutions (DFIs), investors, sports organisations and infrastructure stakeholders to drive long-term sustainable growth.

Africa’s sports economy is expected to expand to $20 billion by 2035, but the continent still faces a shortage of fully integrated sport and entertainment districts capable of supporting large-scale investment and development. ACG aims to bridge this gap by creating investment-ready projects that move beyond traditional single-stadium models towards diversified districts designed to generate revenue, attract investment and deliver lasting economic value.

Using a partnership-driven approach, ACG connects governments, public-private partnership authorities, regulators, development finance institutions, investors, developers, architects, engineers, legal specialists, transaction advisors, operators, sports federations, leagues, event organisers, media companies, academic institutions and local communities. This collaborative framework helps transform early concepts into structured projects with clear pathways towards feasibility, financing, delivery and long-term operation.