US initiative aims to boost African creative economy through intellectual property rights

Katherine Hiner, Intellectual Property Attaché for Sub-Saharan Africa at the United States Patent and Trademark Office USPTO, shared insights from workshops held in Geneva, Lagos, and Johannesburg during an online press briefing on August 19, 2026. Hiner emphasized that intellectual property can be a significant driver of growth for Africa, asserting that African creators need robust IP systems to capture the value of their work. The year-long program, focusing on the African creative economy, brought together public policymakers, artists, producers, entrepreneurs, music industry leaders, and entertainment lawyers.

A key takeaway from these discussions is that music should be recognized as an economic activity, not solely entertainment. Data from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry IFPI indicates double-digit growth in Sub-Saharan African markets over the past five years, but legal frameworks are needed to maximize this potential. Hiner noted that 286 million in revenue goes uncollected annually in Kenya and Nigeria, highlighting significant room for improvement.

In the US, IP-intensive sectors generated $11.4 trillion in 2024, accounting for 44% of private sector GDP and 65.8 million jobs. Employees in copyright-intensive sectors earned 130% more than those in low-I