The United States government has kicked off a year-long programme called “IP for Growth” designed to help African creators, particularly in the music industry, convert their creative output into sustainable economic growth by strengthening intellectual property protections. Speaking at a digital press briefing hosted by the US Department of State’s Africa Regional Media Hub, Katherine Hiner, the US Intellectual Property Attaché for Sub-Saharan Africa at the USPTO, described the effort as a year-long program that showcases how robust IP protection and enforcement empowers the creative economy across Africa. She framed the goal as taking the conversation from the multilateral space to the creators and policymakers doing the hard work on the ground.

The initiative began with a panel discussion in Geneva on the margins of the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies, followed by workshops in Lagos, Nigeria, and Johannesburg, South Africa, bringing together policymakers, musicians, creators, producers, entertainment lawyers and industry executives. The Lagos leg alone brought together over 120 IP policymakers, legal experts, music executives, producers, and creative industry stakeholders, with discussions centred on building enforcement and monetisation structures to unlock cross-border investment.

Hiner made the economic case stating that in 2024, IP-intensive industries contributed US$11.4 trillion to the US economy, accounting for 44% of private sector GDP and supporting 65.8 million jobs, with copyright-intensive industries alone paying workers 130% more than non-IP jobs. She argued Africa has similar untapped potential, citing International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) data showing Sub-Saharan African music markets have grown by double digits for five consecutive years, while warning that significant value is being lost through weaknesses in IP administration, public awareness, collection systems and enforcement, with piracy standing out as a major threat. Strikingly, data presented at the Lagos and Johannesburg workshops showed about US$286 million in recorded music revenue goes uncollected annually in Kenya and Nigeria alone.

On the investment side, US Consul General Brandon Hudspeth also spoke at the gathering in Lagos that stronger legal protections are critical to mitigating risk and building investor confidence for foreign firms entering local joint ventures, licensing deals, and distribution networks, adding that the United States sees Nigeria’s music industry not only as a cultural force but as a significant trade and investment opportunity.

Nigeria Customs and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) deepen cooperation on anti-counterfeiting and border enforcement

The Nigeria Customs Service has formalised deeper cooperation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) aimed at strengthening intellectual property protection, border enforcement, and the fight against counterfeit and infringing goods. The engagement took place on 12 August 2026 at the Zone ‘A’ Headquarters in Lagos, bringing together officials from both institutions to explore practical areas of cooperation, particularly intelligence sharing, capacity building, technology, and the identification of counterfeit products.

Receiving the USPTO delegation, which was led by Julie LeBlanc, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Zone A in Lagos, Mohammed Babandede, reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to strategic partnerships that promote legitimate trade and protect intellectual property rights. He also emphasised that effective intellectual property enforcement is critical to protecting legitimate businesses, safeguarding consumers, encouraging innovation and strengthening government revenue. In addition, he stated that continued use of intelligence, technology and capacity building is needed to strengthen border enforcement. He also called for sustained engagement with relevant stakeholders in the intellectual property ecosystem.

The USPTO delegation underscored the need for closer collaboration between IP institutions and border agencies, stating that the partnership is key to stopping the illicit movement of counterfeit and infringing products. Both institutions used the meeting to pledge their commitment to a secure, transparent and efficient trading environment.

This move builds on a broader push by the Nigeria Customs Service to tackle counterfeit and illicit trade through partnerships as the fight against counterfeiting and other forms of illicit trade cannot be won by one organisation acting alone.