Rugby Africa adds Diop to leadership

Rugby Africa has appointed former NBA Africa executive Aïcha Diop as chief of staff to its president, Herbert Mensah, in a move aimed at strengthening the organisation’s governance, commercial execution and continental growth strategy.

Diop will work directly with Mensah as Rugby Africa seeks to sharpen coordination across its 40 member unions, expand competitions, deepen partnerships and raise the profile of the sport in markets where participation is still developing. Her appointment places a senior executive with experience in basketball, brand development and major event delivery at the centre of African rugby’s administrative structure.

The role gives Diop responsibility for supporting strategic initiatives from the president’s office, improving alignment with member unions and stakeholders, and helping to deliver Rugby Africa’s long-term plan. The organisation is positioning rugby not only as a competitive sport but also as a platform for youth development, social inclusion and economic opportunity across the continent.

Diop brings more than 18 years of international experience across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Her background spans marketing, communications, audience growth, brand strategy and operational leadership. At NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League, she was part of the team involved in building the BAL’s continental identity, supporting multi-market campaigns and helping the league reach new audiences through sport, entertainment and digital engagement.

Her move from basketball to rugby reflects a wider shift in African sport, where federations are increasingly seeking executives with commercial and cross-border event experience. Rugby Africa’s leadership is looking to draw from models used by other global sports properties, particularly in media, sponsorship, fan engagement and community programmes.

Mensah, who serves as president of Rugby Africa and sits on the World Rugby Executive Board, has also taken on a broader role in global rugby governance as chair of World Rugby Regions. That body brings together the presidents of Rugby Europe, Asia Rugby, Rugby Americas North, Sudamérica Rugby, Oceania Rugby and Rugby Africa. His work has focused on linking sport development with investment, public policy and institutional partnerships.

Rugby Africa said Diop’s appointment underlines its ambition to build a more modern and performance-driven organisation. Mensah described her international exposure and understanding of the sports and commercial landscape as assets for a continental body seeking to raise standards in governance and delivery.

Diop said the role comes at an important moment for rugby on the continent, pointing to South Africa’s four Rugby World Cup titles in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023 as evidence of Africa’s capacity to shape the global game. Her mandate will extend beyond elite performance, with youth engagement, women’s rugby, competitions and partnerships expected to form key parts of the agenda.

Rugby Africa has expanded significantly since its founding as the Confederation of African Rugby by eight member unions: Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and Seychelles. The organisation was renamed Rugby Africa in 2014 and now oversees the development and promotion of rugby union, rugby sevens and women’s rugby across the continent.

The body organises continental competitions including Rugby World Cup qualifying tournaments and Africa Sevens, which plays a key role in Olympic qualification pathways. Rugby sevens has become a particularly important growth channel, with its shorter format offering lower entry barriers for emerging unions, schools and community programmes.

The appointment also comes as rugby seeks wider visibility beyond its strongest African markets. South Africa remains the continent’s dominant force in the 15-a-side game, while Kenya has built international recognition in sevens. Nations including Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia have been identified among emerging rugby markets showing strong growth, creating new opportunities for structured development and investment.

Diop’s previous work at IBM, where she managed regional initiatives across multiple African markets, adds a corporate strategy element to her sports background. She has also been involved in major international sports and entertainment properties, including Formula 1, UFC and global football events, experience that could help Rugby Africa strengthen event presentation and commercial packaging.