Kenyans mark the World IP Day 2025 with a colourful ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi

Kenyans joined the global community to mark this year’s World Intellectual Property (IP) Day whose theme was IP and Music: Feel the beat of IP with a colourful ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi, on Saturday, 26th April, 2025.

Dr. Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI), who was the Chief Guest, challenged the artistes, players in the creative industry, innovators and inventors, especially the youth to commercialise the products and services of their talents. 

“The innovation world is your (youth) world. This is your time and you are our hope and our future in the innovation and music space,” said Dr. Mukhwana.

He, however, warned the players in the creative and innovation space that innovation and music trends change very fast and requires new and younger people in two to five-year cycles.

The Institute organised the ceremony in collaboration with the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), a day after the three agencies hosted a successful virtual IP Workshop streamed live from the PrideInn Azure Hotel, Nairobi. 

He noted that many players in the creative industry and innovators confuse coming up with their end product with their target.

“The music and products and services of your efforts must reach the market and be sold, “ said Dr. Mukhwana, “If you are not selling or commercialising your music or your innovation (whatever you are doing) is useless and a waste of time.” 

He said not all innovators are entrepreneurs good at commercialising their works and advised the players in the creative industry and innovators to know their limitations.

This is because packaging their music and products well and taking them to the market may be beyond their ability.

“The measure of success of your creativity or innovation is how many of you have sold,” he said, “If you cannot commercialise your innovation fast, it will get obsolete.

Dr. Mukhwana, however, expressed his satisfaction at the growth of Kenya’s creative economy, saying it has fostered an environment where creatives can freely express themselves and profit from their work. 

He urged musicians, artistes and innovators to prioritise protecting their IP rights to ensure long-term benefits from their creations.

“Brand your products by registering a trade mark with KIPI, reassuring the consumers of their quality by getting a mark of quality from KEBS (Kenya Bureau of Standards) and commercialise them by working with KENIA (Kenya National Innovation Agency),” he said.

In 2000, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) designated April 26 – the day on which the WIPO Convention came into force in 1970 – as World IP Day with the aim of increasing general understanding of IP.

“This year’s World IP Day invites us to explore how IP rights and innovation policies empower creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs to bring fresh ideas to the music industry, safeguarding the work of songwriters, composers, performers, and all those who shape the music that moves us,” says WIPO.

Allan Kosgey, KIPI Board Chairman, urged the creatives and innovators to always protect their IP rights even as they continue innovating and composing music, especially in this digital age. 

“I challenge our young people to embrace IP by protecting the end product of your talents not only to entertain, but also to build sustainable businesses out of it so that you can earn from it,” he said.

Kosgey reiterated that the Institute and its fellow government agencies in the IP sector, including ACA and KECOBO will continue supporting the creatives at every stage of their IP journey.

John Onyango, the Institute’s Managing Director, said music and creativity are critical sectors in the country’s socio-economic development. 

“Music is not just an art but a significant contributor to Kenya’s creative economy, which has the potential to create well-paying employment opportunities, generate revenue and therefore, contribute to our country’s socio-economic development,” he said. 

Onyango encouraged musicians and creatives to seek protection for their IP through registration and to leverage their IP assets to access financing, create value, and ensure sustainability.

He highlighted the importance of public awareness and education about IP rights, stressing the Institute’s commitment to empowering creatives with knowledge and resources to protect and maximise the benefits of their innovations.

Josephat Kabeabea, ACA Board Chairman, underlined the critical role copyright protection under the new digital world, which has expanded access to music globally.

“I urge our musicians to register their works and seek appropriate licenses to commercialise their music effectively, ensuring that they reap the full economic rewards of their creativity,” he said.

Dr. Robbi Njoroge, ACA Executive Director, noted that counterfeiting and piracy continue to undermine the livelihoods of musicians and artistes.

He said ACA has netted counterfeit music equipment, including pianos, drums worth Kshs. 30 million in the last five years.

“We assure our artistes and innovators that we will continue to enforce IP laws and I urged our creatives to collaborate with regulatory bodies to curb the menace of fake and an unauthorised reproductions of creative works,” he said.