Leveraging intellectual property to elevate Africa’s sports economy

Sport across Africa is entering a new era. It is no longer only a source of pride, identity, and entertainment; it is becoming a serious economic force. Across the continent, sport is generating brands, technologies, media products, and commercial opportunities with the power to create jobs, attract investment, and expand Africa’s place in the global economy. The real question is whether Africa is positioned to capture that value fully and convert it into long-term growth. That is where intellectual property becomes strategic. Sport is no longer only played on the field; it is shaped in the marketplace. From football to athletics, from grassroots innovation to elite competition, the value of sport increasingly lies not only in performance, but in the ideas, brands, content, and technologies that surround it. If these assets are protected and managed, they can fuel enterprise, deepen markets, and keep more value within Africa. World IP Day and the role of ARIPO This year’s World Intellectual Property Day theme, “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate,” is therefore timely and relevant for Africa. It also aligns with the theme of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in December 2026 “Fostering innovation, creativity, and a sustainable future for Africa.” Both themes point to the same imperative: Africa must not only participate in global innovation but shape it and benefit from it. The continent’s sporting ecosystem is evolving rapidly. Investments in infrastructure, league development, digital platforms, sports technology, broadcasting rights, and fan engagement are creating new opportunities. African athletes, teams, entrepreneurs, and creators are building brands and products with growing cross-border relevance. Yet too often, the systems required to protect and commercialise that value remain underdeveloped. Talent may win medals, but ideas build industries. Why intellectual property matters Intellectual property provides the framework through which innovation is protected, brands are strengthened, content is monetised, and investment is encouraged. In the sports sector, this includes technologies, team identities, merchandise, digital media, creative works, and athlete-driven enterprises. The issue is not whether Africa has talent. No doubt it does. The issue is whether that talent is being translated into enduring economic value. ARIPO’s role and the path forward At ARIPO, we see this as both a policy priority and a development opportunity. For five decades, ARIPO has worked with its 22 Member States to strengthen and harmonise intellectual property systems across the region. Through the Harare Protocol and the Banjul Protocol, among other frameworks, ARIPO supports innovators, entrepreneurs, and businesses in securing rights across multiple markets through a single regional route. In the context of sport, this creates a more predictable and enabling environment for growth, licensing, commercialisation, and investment. Africa’s sporting ecosystem is poised for growth with inclusion at the core Inclusion must also remain central to this agenda. Across Africa, women in sport are not only competing; they are creating brands, designing products, building businesses, and shaping new markets. Their contributions must be matched by equal opportunity to protect and monetise what they create. A strong IP system should not only reward innovation; it should widen access to ownership and opportunity. Encouragingly, a more IP-aware generation of athletes and sports entrepreneurs is emerging. More of them now understand that names, images, innovations, and creative content are not incidental to success; they are part of its foundation. This shift is essential if sport is to become a more sustainable and competitive economic sector across the continent. Marking ARIPO’s 50th Anniversary As ARIPO marks 50 years of service, our focus is firmly on the future. The next phase of Africa’s sports economy will not be defined by talent alone, but by how effectively we protect, manage, and commercialise the assets that talent creates. The future of African sport will belong not only to those who compete, but to those who own, protect, and grow the ideas behind the game. This World IP Day, we should see Intellectual Property for what it is: not a technical afterthought, but a strategic instrument for Africa’s growth. If Africa is to lead in sport, it must also lead in securing the value that sport creates. The game is on. Happy World IP Day! The author is ARIPO Director General

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Leveraging intellectual property to elevate Africa’s sports economy