Published on 28 Jun 2024

A modern sporting arena in Rwanda marks 30 years of liberation

The inauguration of the US$170m 45000-seat capacity Amahoro Stadium signals a remarkable turnaround of a nation that once endured the worst case of genocide in living memory.

Photo credit: Summa Construction Inc.

In what can only be described as a historic milestone Rwandans are set to celebrate the inauguration of the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on 1 Jul with much enthusiasm and excitement. It is a hugely symbolic because it was here that thousands of Tutsis took refuge in 1994 when over a million of them were put to death by Hutu-extremists in an orgy of violence that lasted for over 100 days. The inauguration marks Liberation Day, a national event that commemorates the end of the genocide against Tutsis.

The upgrade and modernisation of the stadium, which has cost US$170m started in Aug 2022 and has been completed by the Turkish firm Summa Construction. At one stage during construction there were 2,500 workers on site - 90% of them Rwandans. The stadium's seating capacity has been expanded from 25,000 to over 45,000 and now includes VIP and press boxes, along with improved wheelchair accessibility. Other new facilities include four dressing rooms, a doping control centre, officials' dressing rooms, and a warm-up track. The stadium also features shops, restaurants, bars, and other commercial premises. A new facade adorned with traditional patterns celebrate the country's cultural heritage. The renovation was procured by the Rwanda Housing Authority, with the Ministry of Sports as the main beneficiary. No external funding for the project has been reported.

World football governing body FIFA and the Confederation of African Football have green-lit Rwanda's newly refurbished Amahoro Stadium for international competitions. The stadium meets the standards of the World Athletics Federation for its athletics track and can also accommodate rugby matches. Like any other modern stadium around the world it can also serve as a venue for concerts and other public events.

The new stadium is the latest addition in the growing list of ambitious landmark infrastructure projects that Rwanda has put up in recent years. Over the past decade, the country has also completed the Kigali Convention Centre and BK Arena, the largest indoor arena in East Africa which hosts basketball games and music concerts.

Photo credit: Summa Construction Inc.

The African sports industry is seen as a significant, underexploited business opportunity. Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that the sports market in Africa is currently worth over US$12bn but could grow to exceed US$20bn by 2035. The construction of new stadiums, however, often elicits mixed reactions, with some critics labelling them as white elephants. African sports industry analyst James Torvaney recently wrote that while the four new stadiums built in Côte d'Ivoire for the 2023 AFCON were impressive, they came at a high cost and even the biggest games had noticeable empty seats.

The Rwandan Minister of Sports Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, however, has dismissed such scepticism saying the stadium will not become a ‘white elephant’. Hosting sporting events, she said, will reduce costs associated with sending sports teams abroad for competitions. The government is considering appointing an independent firm to manage the facility. Mimosa highlighted that the stadium’s skyboxes and other amenities, such as restaurants, would be used to generate income on days when no major events are scheduled. The stadium will retain its current name until a suitable company expresses interest in purchasing the naming rights.

References

‘Do you still think the BK Arena is a white elephant?’, The New Times, 16 August 2023

‘Amahoro National Stadium nearing completion’, KT Press, 09 February 2024

‘10 things we learnt from record-breaking AFCON’, Africa Sports Insider, 12 February 2024

‘AFCON 2023: What happens to Ivory Coast's new stadiums?’, DW, 12 February 2024

‘Amahoro Stadium Kigali Rwanda | Rwanda's largest multipurpose stadium’, Real JeRi, 27 February 2024

‘Africa's sporting appetite could spark economic growth’, Oliver Wyman, March 2024

‘Stade Amahoro’, StadiumDB, 01 April 2024

‘Minister Aurore Mimosa on how the Amahoro stadium serves as a multipurpose venue | The Long Form’, The Long Form, 16 May 2024

‘New-look Amahoro Stadium to be inaugurated on July 4’, New Times, 10 June 2024

‘No dream is too big for Rwanda. Amahoro Stadium is proof’, The New Times, 12 June 2024

‘Amahoro Stadium gets FIFA green light to host games’, The New Times, 13 June 2024