Over 60 million sports content creators globally already feed a constant stream of commentary, reactions and culture-driven storytelling on the platform, running alongside live sport rather than waiting for it to end.

At the #SportsOnTikTok Mixer recently hosted by TikTok in Lagos, Nigeria, the platform showed what this actually looks like realistically, with a one-liner that changes everything about how sport is consumed online: “We don’t just have followers on TikTok, we have fans.”

This explains why sports on the platform no longer behave like traditional media, but more like an always-on public square where football, fashion, music, food and even injury analysis are all found in the same feed without hierarchy.

Keagile Makgoba, head of Communications for sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok, said sports content in Nigeria is still driven largely by football, while also expanding into other areas that were initially not part of traditional sports broadcasting.

What is emerging, she said, is not just highlight culture but lifestyle sport, where the focus is not solely on what happens during the game but also off the pitch.

These include dressing room moments, coaching conversations, match-day meals, stadium fashion, and even the music fans are listening to while the game is on.

That expansion has encouraged participation in ways traditional sports media never fully captured, especially among women. Data from TikTok revealed that 64% of women now choose the platform as their primary destination for sports content.

This means increased viewership and a change in who feels included in sports conversations in the first place.

Makgoba linked that change to something way more than content variety, explaining that sport is no longer defined strictly by the 90 minutes on the pitch but by everything that surrounds it. These include music trends, player personalities, and the social reactions that build around every big moment.

“I enjoy seeing what’s happening in the change rooms, what the coaches are saying to the players,” she said, describing how audience interest has expanded into behind-the-scenes moments that used to be inaccessible or filtered through traditional media.

This change in consumption is also measurable in behaviour, with 54% of users following pre-event sports news on TikTok, and another 54% scrolling and engaging during live matches, effectively turning a single game into two parallel experiences.

These are the broadcast itself and the social reaction around it, creating what TikTok describes as a second-screen culture.

In simple terms, it means viewers don’t just watch sports anymore, they are also watching how other people are reacting to sports in real time. That constant loop of content and response has created a feedback system where engagement usually influences what gets attention next.

Makgoba explained it through her own experience, saying that exposure to tennis content on TikTok moved her from a passive viewer to someone who actively participated. Eventually, she began watching documentaries, following tournaments, and even playing the sport socially.

This, she said, shows a general pattern across the platform.

That link from content to action is paramount to TikTok’s sports strategy, especially as 42% of users who engage with sports content on the platform are more likely to tune into live matches afterwards. We could say from this, that discovery on TikTok functions as a gateway, rather than an endpoint.

But perhaps the most revealing part of the data is not just how people consume sport, but what they consume around it. With 66% of users engaging for entertainment and 50% for team support, the mix places sport firmly within entertainment culture rather than treating it as something separate or purely competitive.

This becomes more obvious when looking at the volume of activity. Every day, around 5 million sports-related posts are published globally on TikTok, feeding an ecosystem that now spans nearly 60 million sports creators.

That level of activity has allowed smaller voices to speak alongside mainstream coverage without needing traditional media approval or access.

Makgoba also pointed to the growth of unexpected categories such as sports medical creators. These are individuals who break down injuries and physical performance in ways that were previously limited to professional analysis rooms, but now circulate freely across the same feeds as match highlights and fan reactions.

It is in that mixture that TikTok sees its strongest disruption, not in replacing broadcasters, but in layering new forms of storytelling over existing ones. Here, analysis, humour, fashion, music and commentary all compete for the same attention window.

That layering is especially visible during global tournaments. The Paris 2024 Olympics, for instance, generated more than 1.9 million posts and 49 billion views across Olympic-related hashtags. Opening day alone saw over 43,000 creators posting content, a surge of more than 1,200% compared to Tokyo 2020.

This showed just how quickly sports moments now scale when they enter algorithm-driven distribution.

Looking at Africa’s football ecosystem, the expansion has gone beyond borders. During AFCON 2025, approximately 1.2 million posts were created globally, with 28.6% coming from sub-Saharan Africa. A significant engagement, however, also came from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain.

This revealed that African football content is now being consumed in real time far outside the continent, not just after it has been broadcast.

Makgoba described this as cultural export, where sport is not only watched globally but interpreted globally through music, fashion and online conversation. This is specially as clips, chants and stadium moments travel faster than traditional match reporting ever could.

There is also a structural reason for that reach. TikTok does not operate as a follower-based network but more as a recommendation system.

Meaning content is distributed based on interest rather than audience size, ultimately allowing even small creators to achieve large-scale visibility if the content resonates.

Such structure is why sports content behaves differently on the platform, where a single reaction clip, analysis video or fan moment can travel far beyond its origin without relying on established media amplification.

Interestingly, TikTok is scaling beyond a viewing platform to a participation layer for sport itself, particularly through initiatives like “Game Plan”, developed in partnership with FIFA.

The initiative, created with a goal to turn interest into action, is designed to connect fans directly to teams, tickets, schedules and interactive experiences inside the app.

Someone watching a clip from a match can go on to join a fandom from passive consumption into direct engagement, where watching a clip can lead to buying a ticket, joining a conversation, or interacting with official content hubs in real time.

What emerges from all of this is not a replacement of traditional sport coverage, but a redistribution of where attention lives, and more importantly, who gets to enhance it.

The post Why 64% of Women Now Turn to TikTok for Sports Content appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Launched alongside the tournament and running throughout the AFCON competition period until 18 January 2026, these activations were designed as immersive, fan-first experiences that brought football, technology and entertainment together in public spaces, retail locations and pop-up venues.

Across North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and key AFCON markets, fans gathered at TECNO-organized watching parties featuring live match screenings, interactive product displays, AI-powered demonstrations, performance shows, interactive games, lucky draws and temporary pop-up stores.

These shared spaces allowed visitors to engage with TECNO’s AI ecosystem while celebrating the collective energy, emotion and passion that defined African football culture.

At each activation, TECNO showcased how AI-driven technology enhanced the way fans experienced the game, from understanding match dynamics to capturing and sharing standout moments.

Visitors discovered TECNO smartphones and devices in hands-on environments, exploring features designed to make football moments clearer, smarter and more immersive.

AFCON Retail Events Deployed Throughout the Tournament

Running in parallel with the offline watching parties, TECNO also rolled out a wide range of AFCON-themed retail events, which were active across multiple countries and continued until 18 January, with schedules adapted to local markets.

These in-store activations translated the excitement of AFCON directly into everyday shopping experiences through interactive consumer mechanics, including :

• Cashback promotions via lucky draw on selected devices such as POP 10, SPARK 40 and CAMON 40

• Points-based rewards through TECNO’s Points Mall

• Interactive AFCON TECNO AI Analysis experiences that allowed fans to explore AI-driven insights around ongoing matches

• “Rank Your Own AFCON Team” challenges, encouraging fans to build and debate their ideal tournament line-ups

• Additional localized games, giveaways and fan engagement activities

By integrating football culture into retail environments, TECNO ensured that fans remained connected to the tournament not only during match time, but throughout their daily routines.

Making AFCON a More Participatory Experience Through AI

These Technology Carnival activations reflected TECNO’s broader ambition to make football more participatory, more interactive and more emotionally engaging.

Rather than positioning AI as a distant technology, TECNO presented it as an intuitive companion that enhanced how fans followed matches, relived key moments and expressed their passion throughout the tournament.

As an Official Partner of the Confederation of African Football, TECNO activated across stadiums, fan zones, retail spaces and communities, ensuring that AFCON 2025 was experienced not only as a competition, but as a continent-wide cultural celebration powered by TECNO AI.

As the tournament came to a close and momentum peaked during the final stages, TECNO’s Technology Carnival emerged as a powerful demonstration of how technology, football and community came together, transforming every match, reaction and celebration into a moment worth powering.

The post AFCON 2025: How TECNO Turned Football into a Digital Experience appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Streets are beginning to buzz, fan rivalries are rekindling, and anticipation is building for the spectacle that unites Africa like nothing else.

In the midst of this rising energy, TECNO has stepped into the spotlight with a bold new offering, one that promises to change not just how fans watch football, but how they live it.

Drawing on the power of its proprietary Ella AI system, the company has unveiled a suite of football-focused AI features crafted for the modern African fan.

It’s no longer just about being in the stadium or gathered around the TV; today’s game unfolds through smartphone lenses, social feeds, instant reactions, real-time commentary and the heartbeat of digital communities.

TECNO’s new tools are designed for this moment, where football passion meets technology, and where every fan can become a storyteller, analyst, creator, and commentator in real time. The launch marks a fresh chapter in how AFCON 2025 will be experienced: more immersive, more connected, and more personal than ever before.

For many fans, the smartphone has become a second screen, a debate platform, a slow-motion studio and a memory archive. TECNO’s latest tools attempt to formalize that reality, turning everyday devices into active companions capable of interpreting the match as it unfolds.

At the center of the rollout is Ella Match Decoder, an AI engine that reads on-field movement, tactical patterns and key plays in real time.

The feature delivers instant, simplified analysis normally reserved for professional commentators, allowing casual viewers to understand momentum shifts, defensive structures or build-up sequences with unusual clarity.

The suite also includes visual recognition capabilities through Ella Snap & Know, while Ella Match Highlight compiles personalized summaries of decisive actions, goals, recoveries, combinations, errors or turning points. Fans gain autonomy over what they revisit and share, independent of official broadcast clips or social-media circulation.

Meanwhile, Ella Star Cam shifts focus from the pitch to the stands. Described by TECNO as a “superstar lens,” the tool is built to capture what defines the AFCON experience for many: the chants, synchronized dances, sharp pivots of excitement and collective euphoria that animate African football culture.

The feature anticipates movement and emotion, creating footage that feels closer to immersion than observation.

The post TECNO’s AFCON-Ready AI Features Reflect a New Era in Mobile Sports Viewing appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The 33rd Cup of Nations was postponed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

StarTimes is broadcasting all 52 matches live and in full high-definition on its sports channels as well as streaming service StarTimes ON.

This will be the ninth encounter between Nigeria and Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Nigeria lead with three wins to Egypt’s two, although their last encounter in 2010 went to the Pharaohs (3-1 in the group phase).

However, Egypt are unbeaten in each of their last 16 group matches at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with 12 wins and 4 draws. Their last defeat in the group phase dates back to the 2004 tournament (1-2 v Algeria).

Nigeria will face Sudan on January 15 and Guinea-Bissau on January 19.

Lazarus Ibeabuchi, StarTimes Nigeria PR manager, said: “Football lovers in Nigeria can look forward to this exciting showpiece on StarTimes at the most affordable rate in the market with an option to pay-per-day. Active subscribers can watch on the go by downloading StarTimes ON mobile app and linking it to their decoders, at no extra cost, to access the same content on up to three mobile devices. Also, non-subscribers can also watch live on the StarTimes-ON app at N400 weekly, with an option to subscribe with their MTN airtime.”

Here’s How Nigeria’s Super Eagles Prepared for Egypt Opener

Twenty-four (24) out of the 28 man Super Eagles squad arrived at the training camp set up at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja where Interim Manager, Austin Eguavoen, and his technical team put the players through some attacking and defensive drills.

The Super Eagles sported training bibs donated by MTN Nigeria, the official communications sponsor of the NFF.

The post AFCON 2021: Nigeria vs Egypt Live on StarTimes appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

According to Olumuyiwa Akande, group head, Corporate Communications, SIFAX Group has always been a great supporter of Nigerian football and has established a great relationship with NFSC over the years, resulting in sponsorship to some major football tournaments.

He said:

“As an indigenous conglomerate, our passion and loyalty lie in Nigeria succeeding in all endeavours. Football is a unifying factor for us as Nigerians, and SIFAX Group takes the issue of national unity and development seriously. All fault lines across religion, ethnicity, and politics disappear anytime the national football teams play. SIFAX Group wants to further engender that spirit of unity and togetherness through football. Clinching the trophy for the fourth time was also a great attraction.

“The company found the platform of the supporters’ club as a veritable one to achieve these objectives. The impact of the supporters’ club on the success of our national teams cannot be overemphasized. Through thick and thin, the club is available at major tournaments and games to encourage the players and promote the interest of the nation. These patriotic and selfless Nigerians deserve to be supported.”

Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, president general, NFSC, said the club would have been stranded and unable to support the team during the tournament if corporate organisations like SIFAX Group didn’t support them.

“I am grateful to Dr. Taiwo Afolabi and the SIFAX Group for their timely and consistent support for our activities. The travel costs for our members are very huge considering the one-month duration of the tournament. We pay for transport, feeding, and accommodation for all our members. I am grateful for this sponsorship, alongside other companies and individuals,” he said.

The post AFCON 2023: “Why We Sponsored the Supporters Club” – SIFAX Group appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Motsepe disclosed this at a news conference, ahead of the AFCON final.

He described the feat as an achievement that Africans should be proud of.

“We have had close to two billion people watching AFCON globally. We should be proud as Africans and the next one will be even better.

“The success of Africa depends upon Africa working together, trading together, and in football, countries competing and playing together,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the organisation of the tournament has so far been top-notch, with six beautiful stadia across five cities hosting the continental showpiece.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will lock horns with hosts Cote d’Ivoire in a block-buster final on Sunday at the 60,000-capacity Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Ebimpé in the outskirts of Abidjan.

The third-place match on Saturday between South Africa and DR Congo is slated for the iconic Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny also in Abidjan. (NAN)

The post IN NUMBERS: Estimated 2 Billion People Watching 2023 AFCON – CAF appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Visa, a global leader in digital payments and the chosen digital payment provider for the tournament, has collaborated with several partners including financial institutions, football federations, community partners and NGOs.

Together, they have selected more than 800 boys and girls, aged 9 to 13, to escort some of the world’s top football players onto the pitch during the games.

“Visa is proud to support the Africa Cup of Nations, a celebration of Africa’s vibrant football heritage and passion. Our Player Escort Programme is designed to fuel the passion of young enthusiasts and cultivate their love for football while creating memories that will last a lifetime. We’re thrilled to offer these budding stars a once-in-a-lifetime experience and to highlight the unifying power and spirit of football” said Aida Diarra, Senior Vice-President, and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Visa.

Already, 500 children have had the thrilling experience of stepping onto the AFCON pitch alongside their football heroes during the Group Stage.

The tournament’s opening game was particularly special, featuring 22 children from families hailing from three cocoa-producing regions – Agboville, Abengourou, and Aboisso.

Their parents are part of the pilot phase of a national traceability system for coffee and cocoa, a project initiated by the Cocoa Coffee Council of Côte d’Ivoire, Panelys, and Visa, aiming to offer end-to-end digital financial traceability solutions to over 700,000 cocoa farmers in the region.

“During the start of the tournament, we have already seen how AFCON 2023 is inspiring a new generation of future football fans across Côte d’Ivoire, and we are delighted to be able to partner with Visa on the Player Escort Program,” said Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of the Ivorian Federation of Football.

“Having the opportunity to walk on the pitch alongside their idols will bring special memories to last a lifetime for more than 800 young Ivorians and a truly unique experience that will help strengthen passion for the game throughout the country.”

Other children involved in the program were carefully selected from a variety of sources. These include the academies and training camps of the Ivorian Football Federation, an educational institution managed by the Foundation Magic System NGO, children of Visa employees, and young ones related to Visa’s banking and fintech customers.

The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, Côte d’Ivoire 2023 tournament is hosting 24 teams playing 52 matches across six stadiums, with Visa facilitating digital payment technology at all venues and for tickets purchased both in-person and online.

In October, Visa announced the extension of its partnership with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which now includes all AFCON tournaments until 2026.

For the first time, the partnership will also cover the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), the African high Schools tournament, and the integration of Visa products and services in all of CAF’s operations.

The post Visa Player Escort Program Makes Dreams Come True for Ivorian Children appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The Africa’s largest TV network made this known on its X handle, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Afro Sports.

It tweeted, “NTA signs Memorandum of Understanding with Afro Sports for transmission of 52 matches of Africa Cup Of Nations in Cote D’ivoire.”

Earlier, Multichoice, the parent company of DStv, last Wednesday, said the upcoming African Cup of Nations tournament would not be broadcasted on its platform.

It said the satellite failed to secure the broadcasting rights to broadcast the continent’s biggest footballing event on its SuperSport channels.

Meanwhile, StarTimes had also indicated that the station would show live coverage of the AFCON 2023 matches.

The post You Can Watch AFCON Matches on NTA appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The promo  which was initiated by the Bank in November and expected to run till January 6, 2024, was inspired by the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Ecobank, the leading pan-African banking group, is the official sponsor of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

AFCON; the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, the biggest event in Africa, will kick off on 13 January 2024 in Côte d’Ivoire.

The promo gives an opportunity to 10 customers of the bank to win an all-expense paid trip to watch the final match of the AFCON tournament in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire while 100 other customers stand a chance of winning N25,000. It is open to new, existing, and dormant account holders.

Customers who make a single deposit of N100,000 and above, maintain a minimum account balance of N100,000 for 30 days, are carded and transact on any of the bank’s digital channels stand a chance of winning.

Speaking on the first draw, Korede Demola-Adeniyi, head, Consumer Banking, said the bank was impressed with the response of customers to the promo, stressing that the promo was targeted at rewarding loyal and prospective customers of the bank.

She urged customers to continue to fund  their account to increase their chances of winning.

She advised those who are yet to open an account with the bank to do so to participate in the promo and begin to enjoy the bank’s digital offerings and bouquet of products and services.

Prospective customers can open an account on the website download the Xpresspoint Application on Google playstore or visit any of its branches.

Dormant account holders can also reactivate their accounts, get their cards and start transacting. Customers can fund their accounts via any of the digital platforms.

Speaking earlier on Ecobank’s sponsorship of the AFCON, Jeremy Awori, Chief Executive Officer, Ecobank Group, said  “As the pan-African bank, Ecobank is proud to associate with the Confederation of African Football to contribute to the success of TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023, the largest and most-enjoyed football tournament, inspiring passion across Africa. Football transcends borders. It brings communities together, fully aligning with Ecobank’s commitment to drive regional integration. It is an honour for Ecobank to play a key role in bringing millions of Africans together to live their passion for football, making sure that loyal customers benefit from this experience.”

Further, he reiterated that “Ecobank carries the pan-African spirit in its DNA, and this partnership with the Confederation of African Football demonstrates its commitment to its pan-African heritage, reinforcing its connection with hundreds of millions of Africans who will be celebrating the magic of football at AFCON 2023. 16 of the 35 African countries in which Ecobank has a presence are among the 24 that are competing in Côte d’Ivoire”.

The post AFCON 2023: Ecobank Rewards 50 Customers in first Monthly Promo Draws appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Kashifu Inuwa, the director general NITDA, represented by the Acting Director, Digital Economy Development Department (DED), Engr Salisu Kaka, stated this while delivering a goodwill message at the Maiden ‘Nigeria – Cote D’Ivoire Business Roundtable and Exhibition’ at the Margins of the 64th ECOWAS Summit in Abuja.

The Business Roundtable and Exhibition was a Public Private sector partnership co-hosted by the Nigerian Association of Chambers, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), on behalf of the organised private sector and the federal government of Nigeria, coordinated by the Economic, Trade and Investment Department of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The aim of the event was to  propel a deeper private sector engagement as a remedy between the two West African countries. Nigeria hosted the maiden edition of the Roundtable and Exhibition on Saturday 9^th November 2023 while Cote D’ Ivoire will host the second edition at the margins of the African cup of Nation (AFCON) competition in Cote D’ Ivoire come January 2024.

According to DG NITDA, “For Africa and Nigeria in particular to leap frog and develop, our economy has  to leverage technology.”

Inuwa, while stating the opportunities in technology for economic growth said, “It is only technology that can give you the opportunity within the comfort of your zone to advertise, sell, and promote wherever you can think of. It can be a product, it can be a service or an idea”

He encouraged MSMEs, who are the drivers of the economy not only in Nigeria but globally to, embrace technology as that is the easiest way to increase their contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

This, he said;

“Is captured in the 5-pillar Strategic Agenda of the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani. They are in pillars; #2, which is Policy. As an effective policy provides regulatory clarity and necessary incentives for an environment where businesses and innovators are empowered to grow. Pillar #3, which is Infrastructure; as building stronger digital infrastructure is beyond connecting people but centres on economic empowerment and creating opportunities for inclusion. And pillar #4, which is the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Capital; as it provides a roadmap for Nigeria to harness the potential of these 3 pillars as catalysts for the transformation of Nigeria’s digital economy. It is the driving force behind the creation of an environment that encourages innovation, supports entrepreneurship, and allures the required capital to deliver on our ambitions.” 

Speaking earlier during his welcome address, Ambassador Akinremi Bolaji, the Director, Economic, Trade and Investment Department of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “the event would create a good platform for Nigeria to take assessment of her readiness, preparation, inter-Agency, and public private sector collaboration.”

Stating further, “our intention is to expand the presence of our private sector in Cote D’ Ivoire and the West African sub region.”

He said the event was conceived few weeks ago because of a meeting held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in November between Ambassador Bolaji and Kalilou Taore, the Ambassador of Cote D’ Ivoire, as a result of the observation of the challenges in deepening economic relations between the two countries despite the effort to deepen relations.

He mentioned that both countries do well politically but continues to nosedive in terms of trade.

Some organisations at the event were, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority(NEPZA); National Action Committee of AFCFTA; and many more.

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