African Games

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ghana won the rights to host the event in October 2018. In November 2021, Ghana signed an agreement with the African Union to host the event. Plans to build a new stadium for the event were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new Borteyman Sports Complex located in Borteyman, Accra is intended to be used for indoor sports. The mascot, the logo and the website of the event were unveiled in December 2021. The mascot, known as Ɔkɔdeɛ (come on), is an anthropomorphic eagle wearing the Ghanaian Flag. From the 54 members of the ANOCA, 53 sent delegations to compete in the event, the only exception was Cape Verde. Also noteworthy was the presence of a delegation from the African Judo Union. This happened because the National Sports Federation in Angola was suspended and the country's athletes competed as neutrals in the sport. However, their 3 medals are added to the Angolan delegation in the final table. Squash was expected to feature at the 13th African Games. But, when the final list of events, they were cut from the games program. In February 2022, it was announced that cricket and arm wrestling will make its debut in the 2023 edition of the games. Rugby union (sevens) is also set to make its debut. A total of 23 sports games have been confirmed for the continental event. In January 2022, president of the International Paralympic Committee Andrew Parsons visited Ghana in support of the 2023 African Para Games which were also to be held in Ghana. For the first time in the history of the games, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) was introduced as a demonstration sport in the African Games. The event was conducted by Global Association Of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA). MMA athletes from all over the continent came to participate. Over a span of 2 days (11 and 12 March 2024) nearly 50 fights were conducted to finally crown the African Games Champions in their respective weight classes. The 2023 African Games MMA tournament included athletes from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sudan, and Togo. The final results of the 2023 African Games MMA tournament were announced by GAMMA on their website. The 2023 All African Games were without controversies; however, the major talking point after the games is the African Games Audit. The Ministry of Sports awarded 55 single-source contracts amounting to over GHS2.7 billion without justification, this is according to the Auditor-General of Ghana. The ministry was responsible in organizing the event and providing sports facilities for the games.

Reader's Guide

The 13th African Games, branded as Accra 2023, took place from 8–23 March 2024 across three Ghanaian cities: Accra (main host), Kumasi, and Cape Coast. Originally slated for August 2023, the event was delayed due to incomplete facilities and disputes over marketing revenue. Ghana had secured hosting rights in October 2018, beating bids from Abuja, Nigeria, and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and formalized the agreement with the African Union in November 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of plans for a new stadium, so organizers relied on existing venues plus the new Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra for indoor sports. Marketing materials—the mascot Ɔkɔdeɛ (an anthropomorphic eagle in Ghanaian flag colors), the logo, and the website—were all unveiled in December 2021. Of the 54 ANOCA member nations, 53 sent delegations; only Cape Verde was absent. A notable exception was Angola: its National Sports Federation was suspended, so Angolan judo athletes competed as neutrals under the African Judo Union banner, though their three medals were credited to Angola in the final table. The sports program featured 23 confirmed events. Squash was cut from the final list, while cricket, arm wrestling, and rugby union (sevens) made their debuts. Mixed Martial Arts appeared as a demonstration sport for the first time, organized by GAMMA over two days (11–12 March 2024), with nearly 50 fights across weight classes involving athletes from ten nations. The African Para Games were also planned for Ghana, supported by IPC President Andrew Parsons during a January 2022 visit. After the competition, the major talking point was a financial audit: the Auditor-General of Ghana reported that the Ministry of Sports had awarded 55 single-source contracts totaling over GHS 2.7 billion without justification.

Did You Know?

• The 13th African Games were originally scheduled for August 2023 but were delayed to March 2024 due to incomplete facilities and marketing revenue disputes.
• Cape Verde was the only ANOCA member nation that did not send a delegation to the 2023 Games; 53 of 54 members participated.
• Angolan judo athletes competed as neutrals under the African Judo Union because their National Sports Federation was suspended, yet their three medals were credited to Angola.
• Mixed Martial Arts was introduced as a demonstration sport for the first time, with nearly 50 fights over two days (11–12 March 2024) organized by GAMMA.
• After the Games, the Auditor-General of Ghana reported that the Ministry of Sports awarded 55 single-source contracts totaling over GHS 2.7 billion without justification.

The Road to Hosting — Bids, Delays, and Infrastructure Challenges

Ghana secured the right to host the 13th African Games in October 2018, beating out Abuja, Nigeria, and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. A formal agreement with the African Union followed in November 2021. However, the path from selection to opening ceremony was far from smooth. Originally scheduled for August 2023, the event was pushed back to 8–23 March 2024 due to incomplete facilities and disputes over marketing revenue. The pandemic also dealt a blow to infrastructure plans, as a new stadium intended for the games was scrapped. Instead, the organizing committee relied on existing venues across three cities: Accra as the primary host, with Kumasi and Cape Coast serving as sub-host cities. The Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra was earmarked for indoor events. Marketing materials, including the event logo, website, and the mascot Ɔkɔdeɛ—an anthropomorphic eagle draped in the Ghanaian flag—were unveiled in December 2021, a full year before the opening.

A Broadened Sporting Canvas — New Debuts and Demonstrations

The 13th African Games featured a confirmed program of 23 sports, but the final lineup was not without changes. Squash, which had been expected to appear, was ultimately cut from the schedule. In its place, cricket and arm wrestling were announced in February 2022 as making their continental debut, alongside rugby union (sevens). Beyond the official program, Mixed Martial Arts made its first-ever appearance as a demonstration sport, organized by the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA). Over two days—11 and 12 March 2024—nearly 50 bouts were contested across weight classes, drawing competitors from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sudan, and Togo. GAMMA later published the final results on its website, crowning African Games champions in each division. The inclusion of MMA signaled a willingness to test emerging combat sports on the continent's biggest multi-sport stage.

Near-Universal Participation and the Angola Judo Anomaly

The sole absence was Cape Verde, making the participation rate nearly complete. A more unusual footnote involved Angola. The country's National Sports Federation had been suspended, which meant Angolan athletes could not compete under their national banner in certain disciplines. In judo specifically, they entered through a delegation from the African Judo Union, competing as neutrals. Nevertheless, the three medals those athletes earned were credited to the Angolan delegation in the final medal table. This arrangement highlighted both the rigidity of federation-level governance and the desire to keep individual athletes on the continent's premier competitive platform despite institutional disputes. The breadth of participation—spanning 53 nations across 23 sports—underscored the event's role as the most inclusive multi-sport gathering in Africa.

The Audit Shadow — Accountability Questions After the Closing Ceremony

While the competition itself proceeded without on-field controversies, the post-games period was dominated by a financial audit that cast a long shadow over the event's legacy. According to the Auditor-General of Ghana, the Ministry of Sports—which was tasked with organizing the games and providing the necessary sports facilities—had awarded 55 single-source contracts totaling more than GHS 2.7 billion without adequate justification. The term single-source implies that competitive bidding was bypassed, raising serious questions about transparency and value for money in a public-funded continental event. The audit became the central talking point in the aftermath, overshadowing athletic achievements and the successful delivery of 23 sports across three cities. For a games program that had already endured a year-long delay and pandemic-related infrastructure setbacks, the financial scrutiny added a layer of institutional accountability that would likely shape future African Games planning and procurement standards.