The purpose of the partnership, it is it claimed, is to build cohesive, sustainable rugby league communities in the RLEF's Middle East Africa (MEA) region.

Dev Inno's Sport for Life programme, aimed at promoting sport and education in developing nations, will focus on delivering technical training to coaches, officials and administrators, to increase the number of youngsters playing rugby league and to support growth.

The sport will be used as the vehicle to encourage school attendance, academic achievement and post-school outcomes, including employment, enterprise and further education.

"We have been working with the RLEF's MEA director Remond Safi for some time to formalise this arrangement," Dev Inno Ltd director Shaun Cumming said.

"This partnership will allow Dev Inno to use the RLEF's team and membership to encourage education prospects.

"These young people are the future leaders of the MEA region and beyond, and rugby league is a fantastic sport that can especially impart leadership qualities to its participants."

Safi added: "This partnership will ultimately increase the number of participants in our member nations and the social impact we have within them.

"It also provides us with a framework to receive other donations and sponsorship, and ensures accountability of our activities."

Safi has just concluded a week-long visit to Cameroon, one of a cluster of four West African rugby league nations.

The MEA region now encompasses two full members and nine observers.

Safi expects at least two of these observers to become affiliate members this year.

The RLEF Board awarded observer status to Cameroon in December 2017.

In being accepted by the RLEF, the country followed in the footsteps of five fellow African nations - Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.