The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) has signed a collaborative agreement with World Wide Scholarships (WWS) Organisation. This partnership is a significant step toward advancing African sports, particularly in athlete development, structured pathways to international success and strategic brand positioning.
The strategic collaboration agreement between the WWS and CAA was officially signed by Munya Maraire, CEO of WWS, and Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, President of the CAA in Cape Town, South Africa on Monday 5 May, 2025.
According to a statement by WWS, seen by Athletics Africa, this collaboration aims to identify and develop the next generation of talent for the Olympic Games and World Championships. The partnership also grants WWS the mandate to discover and nurture promising young athletes.
The relationship will commence with the hosting of the CAA U18/U20 Championships in Nigeria, where talent identification will begin for the future stars of African athletics.
The agreement outlines a comprehensive strategy to revolutionise athletics development across Africa by providing promising young athletes with multifaceted support.
This initiative builds on the undeniable strength of African athletes, exemplified by South Africa’s relay teams, which recently demonstrated their dominance by claiming the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m titles at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25.
The points outlined in the agreement include the following:
- Talent Identification and Development – Joint scouting and training efforts to ensure young African athletes gain access to world-class opportunities.
- Regional School Academy Programme – Establishing educational and athletic development centres to nurture.
- Professional Athlete Management – Providing structured career guidance, sponsorship access, and international exposure for top-tier athletes.
- Competitive Events – Coordinating regional and continental tournaments to showcase Africa’s sporting excellence.
- Sponsorship and Funding Model – Centralising sponsorship activations to sustain long-term athletic development programmes.
- Brand Development for WWS and CAA – Strengthening WWS’s and CAA’s digital presence through social media strategies, logo creation, press releases, and global visibility initiatives.
Munya Maraire explained that WWS would manage athletes and sponsorships, ensuring financial sustainability.
“We have to get to every different nation, find the talent that is there and give them a plan of development in
which WWS will be involved in from A to Z,” said Maraire, adding that partnering with the Confederation of African Athletics will reshape African sports, empower athletes for global success, and foster inclusivity and sustainable development.
CAA President Hamad Kalkaba Malboum viewed the agreement as the beginning of a new era for the Confederation of African Athletics.
“I’m dealing with an African organisation that has the same view,” said President Kalkaba. “We want to keep our talented athletes on the continent by using all the opportunities that Africa can offer to athletes to prevent them from changing nationality and to prevent them from travelling far away to get high performance training.”
“WWS will play a crucial role in athlete management and sponsorship activation, reinforcing financial sustainability in our programmes.
“We are confident that this collaboration will reshape the future of African sports and reinforces our commitment to positioning African athletes for global success. The impact of this initiative extends beyond sports — it’s a movement towards empowerment, inclusivity, and sustainable development,” Kalkaba added.
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