In a message to the SportsBiz Africa Forum held on September 10 and 11 in Kigali, Rwanda, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry described the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games as a catalyst for tangible benefits throughout Africa. The event, scheduled from October 31 to November 13, 2026, marks the first Olympic sporting competition to take place on the continent. Coventry called for enhanced collaboration among sport, business, governments and communities to maximise its potential, according to the IOC.
The IOC reported that Olympic values-based education programmes connected to Dakar 2026 aim to engage up to 900,000 young people in 11,000 schools across Senegal. These initiatives form part of a broader educational legacy that has already reached more than 643,000 young Africans through IOC-backed efforts since 2022. Such programmes combine sport with life skills training to foster personal development and inclusion.
Hundreds of young professionals from Senegal and other African nations have received specialised training through the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy, the IOC stated. Participants gain expertise in Games planning, event operations and related fields while contributing directly to the organising committee’s work. The skills acquired are expected to remain in Senegal and benefit future sporting events across the region long after the Youth Olympic Games conclude.
The Sport, Education and Sustainable Livelihoods initiative, developed in partnership with the Agence Française de Développement and Laureus Sport for Good, has supported more than 40,000 young people across 13 African countries, according to IOC figures. The programme trained 3,185 educators, coaches and youth workers while providing funding and capacity building to 29 organisations. It focuses on integrating sport with education and employment pathways to create sustainable opportunities.
Olympic Solidarity has directed nearly 10 million dollars toward youth athlete development since 2025, with African national Olympic committees receiving 39 percent of the funding distributed to date, the IOC noted. This investment has enabled 105 initiatives that reached 14,958 athletes and 719 coaches across 52 national committees on the continent. Examples include training camps and workshops that prepare participants for the Youth Olympic Games while building long-term capabilities in coaching and administration.
The Youth Olympic Games will feature around 2,700 athletes competing in 25 sports across three Senegalese host cities, the IOC said. Organisers have also launched schemes to train more than 400 young Africans in operational areas such as logistics, technology and venue management. These efforts align with ambitions to position Dakar as a regional hub capable of supporting future major events including the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
