A Vision Beyond the Playing Field
Syombua A. Kibue has emerged as one of the most influential voices shaping the future of African sport. As the Founder and CEO of SKEIYA, she champions a model that treats sport not merely as competition, but as a powerful engine for identity, economic mobility, and social transformation. Her philosophy is rooted in a simple but compelling belief: Africa possesses extraordinary athletic talent, yet the continent must build stronger systems to nurture, retain, and commercialize that talent locally.
Kibue’s work challenges the long-standing narrative that success in sport requires leaving Africa. Instead, she advocates for infrastructure, investment, and innovation that allow athletes to thrive within African ecosystems while competing on global stages.
Building Sustainable Sports Ecosystems
Through SKEIYA, Kibue focuses on creating durable commercial pathways for athletes, leagues, and sports organizations. Her strategy emphasizes long-term sustainability over short-term gains. This includes strengthening data and performance infrastructure, improving monetization frameworks, and fostering partnerships that unlock new revenue streams.
Her approach reflects a structural mindset: African sport does not lack talent, it lacks scalable systems. By professionalizing commercialization and aligning stakeholders, Kibue aims to bridge that gap, ensuring athletes and federations benefit from the value they create.
Confronting Gender Barriers in Sport and Tech
A central pillar of Kibue’s advocacy is gender equity. She consistently highlights the structural underrepresentation of women across sports leadership, SportsTech, and adjacent industries. From limited access to funding and visibility to persistent cultural biases, women continue to face disproportionate obstacles.
Kibue frames the issue not as a diversity initiative, but as an economic and innovation imperative. Excluding women, she argues, weakens the entire sports ecosystem by restricting talent, perspectives, and leadership capacity.
Empowering Women Through RISE HER GAME
To address these imbalances, Kibue founded RISE HER GAME, a platform designed to expand opportunity and representation for women in African sport. The initiative develops pipelines for female leadership across coaching, governance, business, and technology. It also prioritizes mentorship, training, and visibility, critical levers for long-term change.
RISE HER GAME sends a powerful signal to young women and girls: leadership roles in sport are attainable, valuable, and necessary.
Unlocking the Potential of iGaming Responsibly
Kibue also explores how emerging industries like iGaming can support sports development. She underscores the potential of regulated iGaming revenues to finance grassroots programs, infrastructure, and athlete support systems. However, she pairs this optimism with a strong call for responsible gaming frameworks, consumer protection, and education.
For Kibue, innovation must coexist with accountability. Sustainable growth depends on balancing commercial opportunity with social responsibility.
A New Narrative for African Sport
At the heart of Kibue’s message lies a reframing of Africa’s sporting future. The continent does not require rescue; it requires access, capital, and modern infrastructure. Talent is abundant. What’s needed are the institutional and commercial architectures that allow that talent to flourish.
Through leadership, ecosystem thinking, and relentless advocacy, Syombua A. Kibue is not only redefining power for women — she is redefining what success in African sport can look like.
