Rwandan Clare Akamanzi

The National Basketball Association (NBA), on Wednesday appointed Rwanda’s Clare Akamanzi as the Chief Executive Officer of NBA Africa, with the top investment lawyer to oversee the sport and its business on the continent.

Akamanzi will be responsible for continuing to grow the popularity of the sport, the NBA and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) across the continent through grassroots basketball development, media distribution, corporate partnerships and social responsibility initiatives that improve the livelihoods of African youth and families.

She formerly headed the Rwanda Development Board for six and a half years and will replace inaugural CEO Victor Williams, who joined the NBA in 2020 to oversee its expansion into Africa.