Roc Nation Sports International (RNSI) – the global sporting arm of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation – has announced an expansion of its football operation in Africa, signing eight rising young players across six African countries.
Mamelodi Sundowns winger Siyabonga Mabena and Kaizer Chiefs forward Neo Bohloko headline the teenage talents signed by RNSI – a separate division of the company from the Roc Nation agency for US artists and the Roc Nation Sports agency for US sporting talent.
For their football expansion, they are initially focusing their attention primarily on locally-based players across Sub-Saharan Africa.
RNSI’s head of global recruitment for football, Nathan Campbell, told ESPN: “For us, our key strategy is: Can we essentially sign and work with the best young talent with a view to moving them to Europe…
“Can we look at places like South Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, [as well as Zimbabwe, Gambia and Guinea] and really look at the best talents with a view to moving them to Europe. The top five leagues are the end goal.”
Elsewhere in Africa, RNSI have signed Nigerian attacking midfielder Ifeoluwa Adewale Olowoporoku (Tripple 44), a 17-year-old who has recently been on trial at IFK Göteborg.
Ghana’s Ali Umar (Koforidua Semper FI) and Joseph Narbi (Benab FC) – the latter of whom has attracted strong interest from Denmark‘s AC Horsens – are other players added to RNSI’s roster. Elsewhere, they have secured the signatures of Gambia’s Francis Gomez (Sibonor United), who is also on Horsens’ radar.
Guinea’s Mamadou Aliou Diallo (Al Nasr, Dubai) and Zimbabwe’s Tadiwa Chakuchichi (Scottland FC) have also been signed by RNSI.
“We’re partnering with people in Ghana, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, so we have feet on the ground. Then, those guys will work across different countries on the continent to ensure that we’re really covering all the key countries that we want to focus on,” Campbell said.
The focus in Africa will initially be men’s football, with Campbell saying: “I think we have to really establish ourselves within the men’s game and then look at the other levers with regards to women’s football.
“The women’s side of the game is definitely developing… Everyone who works for the company are subject-matter experts in their fields. I would want to bring on a subject matter expert on the women’s game if we’re going to enter that space.”
RNSI previously took tentative steps into the African football market, beginning with a brand consultancy partnership with Mamelodi Sundowns – announced in 2021 and still active. That deal is completely independent of their dealings with the club regarding representing their players and potential transfer targets.
“I was actually aware of Siya [Mabena] via him playing for South Africa rather than Sundowns. It doesn’t give us access to the players, but it just makes us have a more enhanced view on the players that are playing for Sundowns,” Campbell said.
“Where the relationship is there, it’s easier to have conversations, but there’s definitely no priority access [for either club or agency to the other’s talent]. We always put the player’s needs first over other relationships.”
Rugby was initially the sport where they made the biggest inroads on the continent, with the 2019 signing of Springboks captain Siya Kolisi off the back of his first World Cup trophy.
Grant Veitch joined RNSI as director of Africa recruitment amid an acrimonious split with Cape Town City – where he had served as head of development and recruitment – in February. That was the same month in which the agency announced the signing of Emile Witbooi – Cape Town City’s prodigious attacking midfielder who was on trial with Chelsea late last year.
“Obviously, we were really successful in recruiting Emile Witbooi, who is a really exciting talent down in South Africa. Leading onto that, we saw the continent as a major opportunity talent-wise, but also from an agency perspective with regards to how we do it,” Campbell said.
With Cape Town City having been relegated from the Betway Premiership at the end of the 2024-25 season, Witbooi’s next destination is a source of intrigue. South African publication iDiski Times reported that Witbooi has been offered to Mamelodi Sundowns.
While Campbell did not rule this out, he said that the ultimate goal in Witbooi’s case is a move to Europe: “TAs you know, he’s already had an assessment at Chelsea and we’re currently looking at other opportunities for him in Europe.
“Sundowns is a fantastic club. If there were legs in [them being interested], we would look at it. If Sundowns was an option, he could go there at 17, which makes a little bit of a difference [with European clubs not being allowed to sign him until the age of 18], but the key goal for Emile and a player of his ability is definitely to come to Europe.
“I think with his ability on the ball and the level that he showed while he was at Chelsea, it would be a massive missed opportunity if we don’t bring him to Europe at the earliest opportunity.”
On Witbooi’s trial at Chelsea, Campbell said: “Grant played a key part [in securing it]. I’ve also got a really good relationship with Chelsea and their head of senior recruitment, Joe Shields, is a good friend. He knows Grant really well… From both sides, we were really able to facilitate that, but obviously, they saw the video on Emile and thought he was very talented.
“When he went over, I actually went over and visited the training ground. The exciting thing was: he wasn’t just the level; he was at the top end of the level. It’s just that obviously, they can’t sign him yet in terms of his age.
“With Emile, it’s not just about bringing him over but really identifying the right opportunity. We know his technical talent is unquestionable, but we do have to keep in mind his physical size, so there’s going to be a transition there, because the European game is much faster and more physical. It’s key that we bring him to the right opportunity and not just any opportunity.”
While RNSI’s general strategy is to sign players young and export them to Europe, there may be exceptions where staying in Africa is a better option for player and club alike.
In the case of Mabena, for instance, negotiations over a new long-term contract with Mamelodi Sundowns – reportedly set to tie him to the club until 2030 – are at an advanced stage.
“I think there’s a negotiation going on. Obviously, we’re new to the relationship, so we’re just going through that process,” Campbell said.
“He’s a fantastic talent. I’ve been tracking Siya for two years [since] just before he broke into the first team at Sundowns. He’s been unlucky with injury. If you look at his profile and his ability to play in different positions, we’re delighted to get him on board. We believe that working with his current team, we can enhance him even more and we believe that the next 18 months will be really exciting to see.”
Regarding RNSI’s general recruitment strategy, Campbell said: “We don’t want to be the biggest – so we don’t want to sign thousands of players. We want to be really boutique and specific. A second part of that will be not to just export players. We want to look after the clubs and the countries that we’re working in and ensure that we’re not just an export agency.
“For us, it’s not just about the transaction. It’s about helping these players and these families really achieve their goals and giving them the opportunity to achieve that. That comes both on and off the pitch.
“At the end of the day, they’re young men. Yes, the key reason why we’re working with them is football, but we also want to develop them as people.”