Exclusive: How Syombua A. Kibue Is Redefining Power for Women in African Sport
Africa’s sports ecosystem is on the brink of a transformation, one driven by a new generation of leaders who understand that sport is more than competition; it is identity, opportunity, and economic power. Few embody this mission more clearly than Syombua A. Kibue, Founder and CEO of SKEIYA, a pioneering African sports commercialization company, and the visionary behind RISE HER GAME, a movement reshaping visibility, leadership, and equity for women in sports. Recently recognized as one of the 50 most influential African women in sports, the East Africa Community Representative for The VTEC VR Tennis and Commercial Partner for Lioness Rally Club – An all women Safari Rally Club
In this exclusive iGaming AFRIKA Magazine interview, she takes us inside her journey, her bold ambition for African youth, and the systems she is building to ensure athletes across the continent are not only seen, but empowered, protected, and positioned as global leaders. From innovation and commercialisation to responsible gaming, AI, and youth culture, she breaks down what it truly takes to build Africa’s sporting future from the ground up.
iGaming AFRIKA: Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us what drives your work in youth and sports development?
Syombua A. Kibue: I am Syombua A. Kibue. the Founder and CEO of SKEIYA, a pioneering African sports commercialisation company dedicated to building sustainable systems for talent, innovation, and equity in sport. I’m also the founder of RISE HER GAME, a flagship initiative focused on advancing the visibility, leadership, and economic power of women in sports across the continent, Recently recognized as one of the 50 most influential African women in sports, the East Africa Community Representative for The VTEC VR Tennis and Commercial Partner for Lioness Rally Club – An all women Safari Rally Club
What drives me is the deep knowledge that Africa holds not just unmatched athletic talent but untapped brilliance in ideas, resilience, and cultural force. I see sport as a tool to unlock opportunity, dignity, and self-determination, especially for youth and women who have long been excluded from the decision-making table. For me, sport is more than competition.
It’s a platform for rewriting narratives, building futures, and anchoring identity. Every young athlete we support, every structure we build, and every partnership we forge it’s all part of a larger mission to ensure African youth are not just participants in the global sports economy but owners and leaders within it.
iGaming AFRIKA: What defining moment or insight motivated you to create SKEIYA, and how did you envision its role in transforming African sports?
Syombua A. Kibue: SKEIYA was born from frustration with a broken system that fails African athletes and the knowledge that there is a better way. Time and again, I have watched talented young athletes fall through the cracks due to a lack of infrastructure, investment, and visibility. Today, less than 1% of African athletes make it abroad, and many face exploitation, instability, or disappointment.
I started SKEIYA to change that narrative. We aim to build strong, homegrown systems where athletes can thrive on their own terms. Global opportunity should be an option, not an escape plan. At SKEIYA, we’re creating sustainable ecosystems: investing in infrastructure, tracking performance data, unlocking funding, and establishing commercial pathways that elevate athletes locally.
This approach is working; countries like South Africa, Morocco, and Egypt demonstrate local success, attracting international attention and investment. That’s the model we’re scaling across the continent. We’re not just filling a gap, we’re reimagining what’s possible. SKEIYA is a proactive blueprint for how African sports can grow into a powerful, self-sustaining force, one that retains talent and reinvests in it, building legacies, communities, and futures.
iGaming AFRIKA: As a woman in sports and innovation, what barriers have you seen women face in SportsTech and iGaming?
Syombua A. Kibue: As a woman in the business of sports and innovation, I’ve witnessed how women are systematically shut out at nearly every level. Female athletes receive less than 4% of global sports media coverage, and fewer than 15% of leadership roles in SportsTech and iGaming are held by women. Moreover, girls rarely see career paths in these industries that reflect their potential. The message is clear: women can participate, but they’re not meant to lead. That narrative must change.
That’s why I created RISE HER GAME, to challenge these disparities and reframe possibilities for African women in sport. It’s about creating pipelines where women are equally represented in coaching, tech development, data science, sports business, governance, and storytelling. We’re training the next generation of female developers, analysts, and executives, because the future of sport must be built by diverse minds. At SKEIYA, we’re not waiting for inclusion; we’re building systems that demand it.
We’re creating media platforms that celebrate African women shaping sport behind the scenes and leading education programs that empower girls to code, lead, and think commercially. Most importantly, we’re ensuring that young girls know they don’t have to choose between being on the field or in the boardroom; they can own both. The barriers are real, but so is the brilliance of African women. Real change happens when we stop asking for space and start designing it ourselves.
Read Also: Bridging the Gender Gap in iGaming: Strategies for Inclusion and Growth
iGaming AFRIKA: What challenges have you faced building a sports commercialisation company in Africa, and how have you overcome them?
Syombua A. Kibue: Building a sports commercialisation company in Africa is challenging. Less than 1% of global sports investment reaches the continent, athlete data is often inaccessible, and many federations operate in silos with limited transparency. African talent has historically sought opportunities abroad due to insufficient local support.
At SKEIYA, we navigate these systems while refusing to accept them as permanent. We’ve earned trust where exploitation is common, pushing to create infrastructure from scratch in communities rich in talent, and educated stakeholders on why African athletes are valuable investments, not charity cases. We are doing things differently. We partnered with local and international organisations to expand access, improve financial inclusion, and create opportunities for athletes at home. We are developing our digital ecosystem, The tribe, to support over 10,000 athletes across multiple sports in Africa.
We are working to implement smart contracts to streamline processes and enhance accountability in a fragmented ecosystem. Our 92% athlete retention rate is built on honesty, consistency, and community, prioritising people over profit and using innovation to create effective systems. The challenges remain, but we’ve shown that when trust meets innovation, African sports can flourish. We’re not just building a company. We’re rebuilding belief.
iGaming AFRIKA: How can iGaming support the growth of grassroots sports in Kenya and across Africa?
Syombua A. Kibue: iGaming, encompassing fantasy sports, sports betting, and online games, offers a powerful, untapped revenue stream that can significantly support the growth of local sports and motorsport when channeled effectively. This generated revenue can provide crucial funding for grassroots initiatives, infrastructure, and underserved communities, such as our work at SKEIYA, where we are helping to build the first community basketball court in Kuresoi, and our involvement with the trailblazing Lionesses Club, the first all-women Safari Rally club, proving women not only belong in motorsport but can lead it.
Funding from iGaming platforms could amplify this impact dramatically, accelerating the growth of women’s motorsport and providing resources like specialized training, equipment, and safety gear. The need for this support is urgent, as the open spaces we once played in are rapidly being replaced by new development, and modernization is erasing essential communal hubs and the simple joy of neighborhood sports. Purposeful partnerships with the iGaming industry offer a sustainable solution to restore, protect, and expand these vital spaces, ensuring future generations have reliable access to both traditional sports and the rapidly growing world of motorsport.
iGaming AFRIKA: With iGaming growing, how can we protect young people from gambling risks?
Syombua A. Kibue: Protection starts with honest conversations. We can’t celebrate iGaming’s excitement without acknowledging its risks, especially for young players. Education is key; young people need to understand how these platforms work, what responsible gaming looks like, and how to recognise harmful patterns early. But education alone isn’t enough. Strict regulation is essential, including proper age verification, spending limits, and the removal of predatory mechanics that make gambling addictive.
Platforms must also be accountable for the messages they promote, shifting away from flashy, profit driven marketing to content that encourages balance and awareness. At SKEIYA, we believe reinvestment is crucial. If platforms benefit financially from youth engagement, they should contribute to programs that protect and empower youth like mental health support, financial literacy training, and community sports development.
Finally, there must be shared responsibility across tech, government, sports organizations, and communities. We all have a role in ensuring that innovation doesn’t come at the cost of our youth’s well-being.
iGaming AFRIKA: What are the opportunities and risks with gamification, fantasy sports, and digital betting among youth?
Syombua A. Kibue: Gamification, fantasy sports, and digital betting provide new ways for young people to engage with sports, creating jobs, sparking creativity, and building fan communities. Youth learn data analysis, digital storytelling, and entrepreneurial skills through these platforms. For African youth, who are mobile-first and tech-savvy, this space presents an exciting opportunity. However, this opportunity comes with real risks. These platforms are designed to be addictive, and constant notifications, reward loops, and high-stakes environments can easily trap young users, especially those in vulnerable economic situations.
Financial harm, mental health strain, and a distorted understanding of risk versus reward are potential dangers. At SKEIYA, we believe the solution lies in intentional design. These platforms must prioritise youth well-being with clear age controls, spending limits, educational prompts, and real-time mental health support. We need to shift the focus from profit to purpose, creating digital ecosystems that promote learning, community, and growth.
This industry wields power. The question is whether that power will empower youth or exploit them, a choice for designers, regulators, and leaders alike.
iGaming AFRIKA: How can industries like iGaming support youth wellbeing beyond profit?
Syombua A. Kibue: Supporting youth wellbeing shouldn’t be an afterthought; it must be integral to how the industries operate. If iGaming platforms target youth for engagement, they also carry a responsibility to contribute meaningfully to their development and safety.
This begins with rethinking the business model. Profit and purpose can co-exist, but only if well-being is treated as a core metric of success and not just a CSR checkbox. This means integrating mentorship programs, digital skills training, financial literacy, and mental health support directly into the user experience. Youth should leave these platforms having gained something valuable, not just lost time or money.
Industries also need to invest in safe spaces, both online and offline. At SKEIYA, for example, our work goes beyond talent exposure. We’re helping build community sports infrastructure and safe physical spaces where young people can grow, connect, and be seen. iGaming platforms can support initiatives like this by reinvesting part of their revenue into grassroots programs that promote health, education, and opportunity.
Finally, accountability matters. Companies must regularly assess the social impact of their platforms and be transparent about how they protect young users. If the youth audience drives engagement, then their well-being must drive decision-making. In short, if you’re profiting from youth culture, you should help shape it for the better.
Read Also: A Youthful Vision through Tamalinye’s Call for Responsible Gaming
iGaming AFRIKA: What’s the biggest misconception about grassroots talent in Africa?
Syombua A. Kibue: The biggest misconception is that African athletes and the sports industry need saving. We don’t. What we need is access. Talent has never been the issue; across villages, urban centres, refugee camps, and schools, Africa is overflowing with raw, world-class athletic potential. What’s missing are the systems to nurture it, structured training environments, reliable data tracking, proper coaching, medical support, policies implementations that work and commercial pathways to help athletes grow sustainably into professionals and the industry thrive.
Too often, the narrative is built around charity or rescue; most sports clubs are created with an NGO mentality and not a business, but our athletes don’t need pity; they need platforms. They need investment, belief, and visibility. At SKEIYA, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when that shift in perspective takes place. Once they’re given structure, opportunity, and trust, young athletes don’t just rise; they excel. They compete, they win, and they represent their communities with pride and power.
We need to stop underestimating grassroots talent in Africa and start recognising it for what it truly is, one of the most untapped and undervalued forces in global sport.
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