AACT 2026: Stakeholders relations chair Maryam Shehu speaks on business opportunities

With 17 days to the commencement of the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT), attention is increasingly turning to the business, investment and economic opportunities the continental women’s golf championship is expected to offer, particularly through a planned Business and Economic Summit.

Maryam Shehu, Chairperson of the Government and Stakeholders Relations Committee for AACT Nigeria 2026, has highlighted the importance of the summit as a platform for business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, government representatives and other stakeholders to establish connections, explore investment opportunities and strengthen economic cooperation across Africa. Blueprint reports

The initiative reflects the broader ambition of the championship to extend its impact beyond sporting competition by bringing together golf, business, tourism, culture and institutional engagement in a celebration of African unity and shared development opportunities.

Nigeria is scheduled to host the championship from November 2 to 7 at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja. The event will mark the third time the country has hosted the continental women’s golf competition, following previous editions in Lagos in 1996 and Abuja in 2010.

With preparations entering a critical phase, organisers are positioning AACT 2026 as an opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s capacity to host major international sporting events while encouraging stronger relationships among participating African countries.

Business summit to promote investment and partnerships

Shehu said the planned Business and Economic Summit would provide an important platform for participants to discuss business opportunities, build professional relationships and consider areas of mutual interest in investment, trade and economic cooperation.

The summit is expected to complement the sporting activities by creating opportunities for conversations that connect the championship with the wider business community.

For entrepreneurs and investors, such a gathering can provide an avenue to exchange ideas, identify potential partners and establish relationships that may continue beyond the tournament. Government officials and institutional representatives could also use the engagement to discuss areas where public and private sector collaboration can support economic development.

The emphasis on business engagement reflects a growing recognition of the potential of major sporting events to serve as meeting points for commercial interests, professional networks and development initiatives.

While the golf competition will remain the centrepiece of AACT 2026, the proposed summit is intended to broaden the event’s reach by encouraging participants to consider how sporting platforms can contribute to business development and stronger economic relationships.

The initiative also provides an opportunity to draw attention to sectors that may benefit from the arrival of players, officials, administrators, invited guests and other visitors from different African countries.

How AACT 2026 could benefit Abuja’s economy

Hosting a continental championship of this scale offers Abuja an opportunity to showcase its hospitality industry, tourism attractions, transport services and capacity to accommodate international visitors.

The arrival of delegations and other participants can create demand for hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, event-management companies and related service businesses. Local suppliers and small businesses may also benefit where organisers and visitors engage their services.

Although the extent of any economic benefit will depend on visitor numbers, spending patterns and the level of local participation, major sporting events can generate commercial activity through accommodation, catering, logistics, retail and other services associated with hosting visitors.

The championship could equally provide an opportunity for Abuja-based businesses to establish relationships with counterparts from other African countries, potentially opening channels for future cooperation.

For the Federal Capital Territory, the event represents an opportunity to present the city not only as Nigeria’s political and administrative centre but also as a destination for sports tourism, conferences, business meetings and international gatherings.

The Business and Economic Summit is expected to reinforce this objective by bringing business-related discussions alongside the championship, giving participants opportunities to engage beyond the golf course.

However, translating the event’s visibility into lasting economic value will depend on the relationships established, the opportunities pursued and the extent to which partnerships developed during the championship continue after the delegations depart.

Golf as a bridge for African cooperation

The AACT 2026 slogan, “Uniting Africa through the greens,” captures the championship’s ambition to use sport as a platform for bringing people together across national boundaries.

Golf provides an environment in which players, administrators, sponsors and other stakeholders can interact through competition and shared interests. Beyond the technical demands of the sport, the championship creates opportunities for cultural exchange, networking and the development of relationships among participants.

The Business and Economic Summit is designed to build on that atmosphere by extending engagement into discussions on investment, trade and economic cooperation.

For participating countries, such interactions can help strengthen professional connections and encourage a better understanding of opportunities available in different African markets.

The wider significance lies in the possibility of combining sporting engagement with conversations about shared economic interests. Rather than treating the tournament solely as a competition for trophies, organisers are seeking to position it as a platform through which African stakeholders can explore common objectives.

This approach also places women’s golf at the intersection of sports development, business networking and continental cooperation, highlighting the potential of women’s sporting events to attract attention beyond the immediate sporting community.

Maryam Shehu’s role in stakeholder engagement

As Chairperson of the Government and Stakeholders Relations Committee, Shehu occupies a key position in efforts to connect AACT 2026 with relevant institutions, partners and stakeholders.

Government and stakeholder engagement is important to the delivery of a major sporting event, particularly one involving participants from different countries and requiring coordination across sporting, administrative, hospitality and commercial interests.

The committee’s responsibilities place stakeholder relations among the important considerations in ensuring that the championship’s broader objectives are communicated and that relevant parties have opportunities to participate.

The proposed summit provides one avenue for bringing these interests together. By encouraging business and economic conversations alongside the competition, the organisers are seeking to expand the range of stakeholders who can engage with the event.

The success of that effort will depend not only on the delivery of the golf championship but also on the quality of participation, the relevance of the discussions and the opportunities that emerge from the connections established.

For Shehu and the wider organising team, the challenge is to ensure that the anticipated business dimension complements the sporting programme and contributes to the championship’s overall objectives.

Nigeria prepares for its third hosting

Nigeria’s hosting of AACT for the third time gives the 2026 edition historical significance within the country’s relationship with the competition.

The first Nigerian edition took place in Lagos in 1996, followed by Abuja in 2010. The return of the championship to Abuja in November will provide another opportunity to showcase the country’s women’s golf community and its capacity to organise a continental competition.

The choice of the IBB International Golf and Country Club as the venue places the tournament at one of the capital’s established golf facilities, where players will compete for continental honours during the six-day event.

Beyond the sporting outcomes, the championship will also offer an opportunity to highlight Nigeria’s hospitality and its readiness to welcome visitors from across Africa.

As the countdown continues, attention will remain on preparations for the competition, stakeholder participation and the supporting activities intended to give the event a wider footprint.

17 days to go

With 17 days remaining before the championship begins, AACT Nigeria 2026 is entering the final stretch of preparations for an event that organisers hope will combine competitive women’s golf with business engagement, tourism promotion and cultural exchange.

The planned Business and Economic Summit is expected to be an important part of that wider vision, providing a setting for participants to explore connections and discuss opportunities beyond the competition itself.

For Abuja, the championship offers a chance to welcome African visitors and showcase the city’s capacity for international sporting and business events. For the wider African community, it presents an opportunity to strengthen relationships through sport and shared economic interests.

As the countdown continues towards November 2, the message from the organisers remains clear: AACT 2026 is intended to be more than a golf tournament. It is an opportunity to bring Africa together, create connections and explore the value of working towards shared ambitions.