For the second time, Rwanda hosted the Giants of Africa Festival from July 26 to August 2, bringing together 320 young campers from 20 African countries.
Over eight days, the event blended basketball, education, culture, and entertainment under the theme of “a borderless Africa.”
Off the court, local business owners enjoyed the opportunities that came with it, ranging from food sales, fashion, entertainment, and so on. In this article, The New Times talked to some businesspeople about what they made out of the festival.
Elyse Hirwa Shema, Sundowner Sport Café
Located inside the BK Arena, Sundowner Sport Café usually serves staff and a few visitors. According to Elyse Hirwa Shema, the festival completely changed the pace of business.
“Normally, we might not make any sales in a day, sometimes you go home without serving anyone. But when there are events, we can see a 60 to 70 percent increase in income. Giants of Africa brought in buffet customers, campers coming for snacks, and overall just more people walking through our doors,” he said.
Kevin Kansiime, KEFA Sport
KEFA Sport sells sports materials, including equipment used to build basketball courts. Giants of Africa was a major exposure opportunity for them.
“We build basketball courts, sell materials for tennis and other sports. During the festival, a lot of people discovered that we actually have the materials needed for full courts right here in Rwanda, and that because we built the outside court that the campers were using, and many people came to check it out. Some even placed orders, and others took our contacts to discuss future projects,” he said.
He added that international visitors also expressed interest in working with them, increasing their visibility beyond the local market.
Masters restaurant
Inside BK Arena, Masters Restaurant typically serves lunch to workers based on a monthly subscription model. Walk-in customers are rare. But that changed during the Giants of Africa week.
“We’re used to serving clients who at the Arena or nearby. On a normal day, maybe one or two people come to buy coffee or snacks directly. But during the festival, we were selling 11 to 20 cups of coffee in the mornings alone. In the afternoons, people were coming in for snacks, something that rarely happens. We even had to bring in more stock just to keep up.”
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Jack Ndahiro, Kigali Kaftan fashion brand
We got 16 orders that week, which led to a direct increase in sales and profit, but beyond the business, each kaftan tells a story about Rwanda’s history and our kings. It gave us a chance to teach people about our culture through what we sell.
The event boosted our brand visibility and connected us with a wider, culturally engaged audience.
Florence Nishimwe, Handmade crafts vendor
She runs a small business that sells traditional Rwandan craft items like imigongo artwork, handmade earrings, and other locally made souvenirs. On a regular day, sales can be slow, with occasional purchases from locals sending gifts or tourists passing through.
“Usually, it’s hard to get customers every day, sometimes people just look around or ask for prices and leave, but that week of Giants of Africa festival, people were actually buying. Events like this are really good for small businesses like mine,” she said.
She noted that the difference wasn’t just in foot traffic, but in actual purchases, which made the week stand out from their usual pace.