Basketball Africa League and Flutterwave Announce Multiyear Partnership
Inaugural BAL Season Taking Place May 16-30 in Kigali, Rwanda
As a lifelong Basketball fan, I am excited that we are able to team up with the BAL as it tips off its inaugural season
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) (www.theBAL.com) today announced a multiyear partnership with Flutterwave that makes the payments technology company an associate partner of the BAL. The inaugural BAL season tipped off yesterday at the Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, with 12 teams from across Africa competing in the new professional league. The first BAL Finals will be held Sunday, May 30.
Flutterwave, which was founded in 2016 and recently named among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies, provides innovative payment solutions to more than 290,000 businesses and has an infrastructure reach in more 33 African countries, including Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The partnership will leverage the BAL and Flutterwave’s shared commitment to driving economic growth across the continent through the launch of a digital campaign that will provide select African entrepreneurs and small businesses with the opportunity to travel, connect and engage with other African markets.
“As a lifelong Basketball fan, I am excited that we are able to team up with the BAL as it tips off its inaugural season,” said Flutterwave Chief Commercial Officer Ifeoluwa Orioke. “There’s progress going on in Africa, and this is the time to tap into the enthusiasm of young people to unite the continent and open doors for young Africans through sports.”
“Technology plays an important role in basketball and our ability to make our content and products accessible and convenient for fans to consume,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. “This partnership also reflects our ambition to play a role in the industries that will shape the continent’s economic growth, facilitate entrepreneurship and strengthen the continent’s position on the global stage.”
Champions from the national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia earned their participation in the inaugural season. The remaining six teams, which come from Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda, secured their participation through BAL qualifying tournaments conducted by FIBA Regional Office Africa across the continent in late 2019.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
Media Contact:
Yvon Edoumou
Basketball Africa League
+221 77 637 3401
yedoumou@thebal.com
Hudson Sandler
Flutterwave
flutterwave@hudsonsandler.com
About Flutterwave:
Flutterwave is a payments technology company that helps businesses all over the world expand their operations in Africa and other emerging markets, through a platform that enables cross-border transactions via one API. Flutterwave has processed over 140 million transactions worth over USD $9 billion to date and serves more than 290,000 businesses. The company’s key advantage is international payment processing in 150 currencies and multiple payment modes including local and international cards, mobile wallets, bank transfers, Barter by Flutterwave etc. Flutterwave has an infrastructure reach in over 33 African countries, including Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa etc. For more information on Flutterwave’s journey, please visit: www.Flutterwave.com.
About the BAL:
The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a new professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa. The BAL, which is headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Regional Office Africa has organized in Africa and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America. Fans can follow the BAL @theBAL on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and register their interest in receiving more information at www.theBAL.com.