Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah has joined the Advisory Board of African Collaborations Group (ACG), strengthening the organisation’s efforts to develop large-scale sport and entertainment districts across Africa.
Mensah is President of Rugby Africa and a member of the Executive Board of World Rugby, the global governing body for rugby. He also serves as Chairman of the World Rugby Regions Association, which brings together the presidents of the six continental rugby confederations.
His appointment to the ACG Advisory Board is expected to strengthen the organisation’s connections across African sports federations, governments, ministries, development finance institutions and international sporting organisations.
ACG says Mensah’s experience will be particularly relevant to its strategy of developing bankable sport and entertainment district ecosystems. The organisation aims to move beyond traditional single-venue projects toward integrated districts combining sports, entertainment, commercial activity and other revenue-generating components.
Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Executive Chairman of ACG, described Mensah’s appointment as a strategic advantage for the organisation. He highlighted Mensah’s understanding of how sport, governance, infrastructure and finance can work together to support sustainable sports development across Africa.
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The ACG Advisory Board provides strategic guidance as the organisation works to originate and structure major sport and entertainment projects. Its model brings together governments, public-private partnership authorities, development finance institutions, private investors, developers, engineers, legal advisers, sports federations, leagues, event promoters, broadcasters, academic institutions and host communities.
ACG estimates that Africa’s sports economy could reach $20 billion by 2035. However, the organisation says the continent still lacks sufficient integrated sports and entertainment ecosystems capable of supporting large-scale development and generating sustainable revenues.
The group is therefore seeking to create structured pathways that take projects from initial concepts through feasibility studies, bankability, investment and eventual delivery. Mensah’s involvement adds senior sports-sector expertise to this approach as Africa continues to explore the economic potential of sport, entertainment and related infrastructure.
His appointment comes as African countries increasingly view sport not only as a source of entertainment but also as an avenue for investment, infrastructure development, employment, tourism and broader economic growth.