As Africa’s digital economy continues to expand, technology-driven platform, Cleaqes, has unveiled Cleaqes Sports, a new digital initiative designed to identify, showcase and connect grassroots sporting talents across Africa and the Caribbean with global opportunities.
Speaking at the launch, Head of Marketing at Cleaqes, Charity Owoh, described the company as more than just a platform, noting that it is a technology ecosystem created to connect Africa and the Caribbean with the rest of the world.
According to her, the growing global interest in African culture, business, tourism, entertainment and sports presents enormous opportunities for the continent, and Cleaqes is positioning itself as a bridge between local communities and the global diaspora.
“Cleaqes is more than a platform; it is a technology that connects Africa and the Caribbean to the world. The diaspora space is huge, and many people want to engage with African culture and know what is happening across the continent. Our goal is to showcase talents, businesses, creators, organisers and opportunities through technology,” she said.
Owoh explained that the company operates through several digital pillars, including Cleaqes Stories, Cleaqes Tourism, Cleaqes Events, Afro-rated Podcast and the newly launched Cleaqes Sports.
She noted that the tourism platform serves as a digital marketplace where users can discover destinations, book travel experiences, access trusted service providers and explore unique attractions across Africa and the Caribbean.
According to her, the platform addresses one of the biggest challenges faced by travellers and consumers—access to reliable and verified vendors.
“We are bringing users and trusted vendors together, making it easier for people to find authentic experiences across Africa. There are still many hidden gems that people have not discovered, and technology can help unlock those opportunities,” she stated.
She further highlighted the company’s events discovery platform, which enables event organisers to promote events, sell tickets and stream activities to audiences across the world.
Using comedy shows and entertainment events as examples, Owoh explained that creators can expand their audience beyond physical venues by leveraging Cleaqes’ live-streaming technology.
“Someone outside Nigeria may not be able to attend an event physically, but through our platform they can watch it live. This creates additional revenue streams for creators while helping them reach a broader audience,” she added.
Beyond tourism and events, Cleaqes also operates Afro-rated Podcast, a media platform dedicated to telling African stories and engaging members of the diaspora on issues affecting the continent.
However, the company believes sports presents one of the greatest opportunities for Africa’s youth population.
Product Manager for Cleaqes, Aisha Oladunjoye, said the new platform was created to identify talented athletes from grassroots communities and provide them with the visibility required to attract international opportunities.
According to her, the initiative will initially focus on football while building a digital archive of emerging talents from streets, school fields and local communities.
“This is a technology platform built to help local talents gain exposure and visibility before a global audience. We are starting with football because we recognise that there are countless gifted young people whose talents remain unseen simply because they are not attached to major clubs or academies,” she said.
Oladunjoye stressed that technology provides the scale required to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity.
“Technology can go where our legs cannot and where our voices cannot. Through this digital platform, we can place local talents in front of global scouts, clubs and opportunities,” she explained.
She added that although the platform is still in its foundational stage and has not yet entered formal partnerships with schools and universities, awareness campaigns will target students and young athletes across communities.
According to her, Cleaqes Sports plans to deploy aggressive digital marketing campaigns while also engaging directly with local communities to identify promising talents.
“Our objective is to make enough noise through every available digital channel and physical outreach. We want young people to know that their dreams are valid and that their sporting abilities can become global careers,” she said.
One of the unique features of the platform, she explained, is its ability to document athletes’ growth journeys over time.
“When we eventually produce another Messi or Ronaldo, people will be able to return to the platform and track that athlete’s development from the beginning. The platform becomes a record of their journey and progress,” she noted.
As part of its international expansion strategy, Cleaqes Sports is exploring opportunities for African athletes to participate in the Prime Minister’s Cup in Barbados, a move expected to provide exposure to international competition and scouting networks.
The company is also seeking strategic partnerships with stakeholders, including airline operators, to facilitate mobility between Africa and the Caribbean. In particular, it is exploring potential collaboration with Air Peace following the airline’s direct route connecting Nigeria and Barbados.
In addition, Cleaqes Sports announced plans to participate in the upcoming Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Summit 2026 in Lagos, where it hopes to engage investors, sports organisations, governments, brands and media institutions.
The company said its long-term vision is to build Africa’s leading digital sports ecosystem, leveraging technology to transform grassroots athletes into globally recognised champions while positioning African sports as a major force within the international marketplace.