Nairobi summit seeks to harmonise intellectual property policies across Africa

Nairobi will host a continental intellectual property summit in November that seeks to harmonise policies across African countries and strengthen the protection and commercialisation of creative works, innovations and indigenous knowledge.

The seventh All African Intellectual Property Summit will be held from November 11 to 13, 2026, bringing together policymakers, creators, researchers, innovators and businesses to discuss the implementation of a continental intellectual property framework.

Sand Mba-Kalu, Chairman of the All African Intellectual Property Summit Committee, said the meeting will provide a platform for African countries to align national intellectual property policies with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) intellectual property protocol.

He said harmonised policies will help ensure intellectual property created in one African country can be protected and commercially exploited across the continent.

“Whatever national policy you are putting in place must align with the continental framework,” Mba-Kalu said.

The summit is being organised in partnership with the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and the AfCFTA Secretariat as the continent moves towards implementation of the intellectual property protocol adopted by African Union heads of state in February 2026.

Sharon Wata, Deputy Executive Director of KECOBO, said fragmented laws and policies across countries can limit creators’ ability to benefit from markets outside their home countries.

She said the Nairobi meeting will focus on policy harmonisation, commercialisation and solutions to common challenges facing Africa’s creative and innovation sectors.

“Kenya is hosting, but it is not a Kenyan summit. It is an Africa summit,” Wata said.

The discussions will cover music, film, technology, patents, traditional knowledge and cultural expressions, with organisers seeking to strengthen the link between intellectual property protection and economic development.

Mba-Kalu said Africa cannot build a single market without ensuring that ownership of intellectual property remains with Africans.

The summit will also explore how creators can access new markets and investment opportunities while ensuring their rights are protected across borders.

The organisers say closer policy coordination could enable African creators and businesses to commercialise their intellectual property across the continent, generating jobs, investment and wealth while reducing the loss of economic value from African innovations and creative works.