Betpawa to invest $10m in African sports development over next five years … expands ‘locker room’ bonus to women’s league and technical staff in Ghana

Betpawa, a prominent online betting and gaming brand, has announced plans to invest $10 million across Africa over the next five years to support sports development, aligning with its broader growth strategy on the continent.

During a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, Betpawa’s Chief Commercial Officer, Ntoudi Mouyelo-Katoula, highlighted the brand’s commitment to expanding its initiatives beyond Ghana. “We are extending the Locker Room Bonus to other competitions across Africa. Our goal over the next five years is to channel over $10 million into impactful initiatives throughout the continent,” he stated.

In Ghana, Betpawa has already established itself as a key supporter of local sports, sponsoring winning teams in the domestic league through an innovative “Locker Room” initiative, which provides players with instant bonuses via online payment. This year, Betpawa has expanded the initiative to include the women’s league, starting from the Round of 16 up to the finals.

Emphasizing the importance of its partnership with the Ghana Football Association, Mouyelo-Katoula noted, “We have committed to continuing this initiative to incentivize players and recognize the Ghana Football Association’s ongoing efforts to improve league organization. This year, we’re extending our support to women’s teams for the first time, offering a 400 Ghana cedi bonus to each player on winning teams, delivered instantly from the pitch to the locker room.”

Mr. Mouyelo-Katoula revealed that during the 2022–2023 season, Betpawa disbursed 600,000 Ghana cedis in direct payments, positively impacting nearly 4,000 players throughout the season. Following the success of this initiative, the company increased its investment to 1.3 million Ghana cedis for the 2023–2024 league season, reaching approximately 3,000 players.

For the ongoing 2024–2025 season, Betpawa plans to extend the Locker Room Bonus to include three technical staff members from each winning team, further broadening the scope of its support for Ghanaian football.

In addition to the Locker Room Bonus, Betpawa is advancing its investment in sports infrastructure at the Ghanaman Sports Centre in Prampram. Phase two of this project will see the installation of seating for fans, enhancing the spectator experience. Once completed, the Betpawa Stadium is intended to be made available to premier league teams as a venue for official games, marking a lasting legacy for Ghana’s sports landscape.

By Eugene Davis