In a landmark moment for global motorsport and African sports business, Formula 1 confirmed a 10-year agreement for Rwanda to host the African Grand Prix from the early 2030s, ending a 33-year absence of the championship from the continent.
The deal, announced Tuesday in Kigali by President Paul Kagame alongside F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, will see racing return to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.
The new purpose-built FIA Grade 1 circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of Kigali and adjacent to the under-construction international airport, forms the centrepiece of a wider sports, tourism and commercial development project.
Designed to harness the area’s natural elevation changes for a fast, flowing challenge with strong spectator viewing, the venue is positioned as a multi-use destination for motorsport, events, conferences and entertainment.
Officials described the long-term partnership as an investment in jobs, skills, tourism and regional business growth rather than a single race weekend.
Standing as a key witness to this historic Formula 1 milestone was Debbie Izamoje Okolie, Chief Executive Officer of Brila Media Group.
The Nigerian sports media executive was the only representative from Nigeria’s sports and media sector present at the high-level event in Kigali.
Her attendance placed Brila Media and Nigeria firmly within the emerging F1 ecosystem in Africa, underscoring the growing influence of Nigerian sports business leadership on the continental stage.
Izamoje Okolie’s presence at the announcement reinforces Brila Media’s strategic positioning at the intersection of sports media, digital storytelling and commercial partnerships across Africa.
As the continent prepares for Formula 1’s return, her participation signals Nigeria’s readiness to engage with the opportunities in F1 broadcasting, fan engagement, sponsorship and sports business development that the African Grand Prix will generate.
The 10-year Rwanda deal is widely viewed as a transformative step for African motorsport investment and the broader sports economy.
With more than 100 million Formula 1 fans already across the continent—many of them young—the return creates pathways for local talent, technical skills, entrepreneurship and media coverage.
Brila Media’s CEO presence at the signing positions the Nigerian brand as a frontline player ready to amplify these opportunities for Nigerian audiences and the wider African sports media landscape.
This moment marks not only Formula 1’s full global footprint across every inhabited continent but also a clear signal that Nigerian sports media is embedded in the future of high-performance motorsport on African soil.
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