IVLP: Stronger Intellectual Property Protections Key to Africa’s Creative Industry Growth
WASHINGTON, July 18 -* As creative industries expand across Africa, the development of robust intellectual property protection and enforcement frameworks is crucial for sustaining their growth. The U.S. Department of State, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), recently hosted eight participants from Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria from June 22 to July 3 as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). This initiative aims to promote the growth of the creative industry and enhance intellectual property protections in Africa.
Among the Nigerian participants were Obi Asika, Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Council for Arts & Culture; Zulu Oyibo, Co-founder of InkBlot Productions; and Alexander Okeke, Talent & Business Manager at YBNL Nation Entertainment. The group visited Washington, D.C. to engage with U.S. policymakers and industry associations, Los Angeles to meet with industry leaders and professional guilds, and Atlanta to connect with production studios and local government officials.
Effective intellectual property protection and enforcement frameworks are essential for assuring creative artists, inventors, and industrial designers that their works will be safeguarded, ensuring they receive fair compensation. A robust intellectual property system can drive innovation, create and sustain jobs, elevate wages across various industries, and significantly boost economic growth.
The IVLP visit builds on the U.S. Department of State’s ongoing efforts since the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit to support Africa’s creative economy. Following the summit, the Department has hosted four creative ecosystem roundtables in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria to discuss the importance of the creative industries and the benefits of stronger intellectual property frameworks. These events were supported by UNESCO, which published the first comprehensive mapping of Africa’s film and audiovisual industries in 2021. Additionally, the State Department partnered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to host a fifth creative industry roundtable in Egypt in June.
The Meridian International Center served as the implementing partner for this IVLP.
