René Awambeng spoke on the “Tech & Infrastructure: From Stadiums to Smart Cities” panel on Day 2 of the summit, contributing to high-level discussions on the role of infrastructure, technology, and long-term investment in supporting Africa’s urbanisation and economic transformation.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 21 January 2026 – Premier Invest’s founder and managing partner, Rene Awambeng, participated in the Game Time Africa Summit 2026, that took place in Rabat, Morocco, on 15–16 January, as part of the ongoing development and positioning of the African Sports & Infrastructure Fund (ASIF).
René Awambeng spoke on the “Tech & Infrastructure: From Stadiums to Smart Cities” panel on Day 2 of the summit, contributing to high-level discussions on the role of infrastructure, technology, and long-term investment in supporting Africa’s urbanisation and economic transformation. His participation aligns with Premier Invest’s broader strategy to explore innovative investment frameworks that mobilise capital for sustainable infrastructure development across the continent.
ASIF is an Africa-focused infrastructure investment initiative being developed by Premier Invest Partners Limited, in collaboration with partners from the sports and creative industries. The Fund is designed to explore a differentiated development model that leverages Africa’s global influence in sports and culture as an entry point to support infrastructure projects across priority sectors, including transportation, energy, healthcare, housing, and technology.
The Fund is structured to bring together athletes, creatives, institutional investors, development finance institutions, and governments within a unified investment framework. By aligning cultural influence with institutional capital and public-sector participation, ASIF seeks to promote African ownership, strong governance, and long-term value creation in infrastructure development.
ASIF’s initial phase is planned with a target fund size of approximately USD 150 million and will be structured using a blended financing model. This model combines equity contributions from leading African athletes, creatives, and strategic private investors—providing strong alignment, visibility, and early-stage risk capital—with debt financing from a Development Finance Institution (DFI),alongside participation from local governments and municipal or community partners. Tokenization will be incorporated as an enabling mechanism to expand investor participation and enhance long-term sustainability.
The fund will be established as an open-ended vehicle, designed to provide equity financing for the development of ten multipurpose arenas across key African cities. The proposed structure aims to support bankable, ESG-aligned infrastructure projects capable of delivering measurable economic and social impact, including job creation, local enterprise development, and improved access to essential services.
“Africa’s global success in sports and culturerepresents an underutilised platform for long-term economic development,” said René Awambeng, Founder and Managing Partner of Premier Invest.
“Through ASIF, we are exploring how this influence can be aligned with disciplined investment structures, strong governance, and long-term capital to support infrastructure that delivers sustainable outcomes for African economies.”
Game Time Africa provides a strategic forum for advancing dialogue between policymakers, investors, developers, and leaders from the sports and technology ecosystems on the role of infrastructure in Africa’s growth trajectory. René Awambeng’s participation reflects Premier Invest’s commitment to contributing to these discussions while responsibly developing investment platforms aligned with Africa’s long-term development priorities and international best practices.
Through ASIF, Premier Invest aims to contribute to a broader shift in Africa’s infrastructure investment narrative—demonstrating how innovation, culture, and institutional capital can be aligned to support durable economic and social progress, underpinned by governance, partnership, and long-term value creation.
About Premier Invest
Premier Invest is a financial services group headquartered in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The group operates across investment advisory, trading, and banking-related activities, connecting global capital with high-impact opportunities across Africa, the Caribbean, and other emerging markets. Premier Invest is guided by strong governance standards, African ownership, and a commitment to sustainable development.
