The International Trade and Research Centre (ITRC) and the Africa Intellectual Property Centre proudly hosted the 6th All Africa IP Summit from 12–14 November 2025 at the iconic King Fahd Palace Hotel in Dakar, Senegal. Under the theme “Building an Inclusive IP Ecosystem for Africa’s Future” and sub-theme “What IP Ecosystem Do We Want for Africa?”, the Summit brought together policymakers, innovators, researchers, legal experts, government agencies, business leaders, and development partners from across Africa and beyond (including Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, EU, WIPO, Japan, and more).

Key Highlights

Day 1 – IP Ownership, Utilisation & Commercialisation The Summit opened with a powerful welcome address by ITRC Founder and Summit Chairman, Mr Sand Mba-Kalu, who underscored the urgency of operationalising the newly adopted AfCFTA Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights. Goodwill messages from the European Union, Nigerian AfCFTA Coordination Office, WIPO, AfCFTA Secretariat, and Senegalese Government reinforced IP’s critical role in Africa’s trade, industrialisation, and digital transformation.

Highlights included:

• An inspiring spoken-word performance on African creativity and ownership
• High-level multi-stakeholder panel on the ideal IP ecosystem for Africa
• Launch of the book Intellectual Property Rights and Sustainable Development Goals in Africa (outcome of the 2024 Kigali Summit)
• Breakout sessions on Afrocentric IP reforms, regional exhaustion of IP rights, leveraging patent databases, public-domain technologies, AI and prompt engineering, and building a unified regional IP registration system

Day 2 – Operationalising the AfCFTA IP Protocol Sessions focused on practical implementation: combating counterfeiting and piracy, balancing IP rights with public health, compulsory licensing, geographical indications, traditional knowledge, digital trade, and trademarks.

Standout moments:

• Plenary on multi-stakeholder IP enforcement
• Fireside chat with the AfCFTA Secretariat on the Protocol’s eight approved annexes and the planned AfCFTA IP Office
• Roundtable with development partners (EU, JETRO, WIPO) on capacity building and technical assistance
• Interactive youth session on AI, creativity, and IP reforms
• Breakout sessions exploring compulsory licensing for medicines, digital knowledge governance, and protecting indigenous knowledge under AfCFTA

Day 3 – Cultural Excursion Delegates visited the African Renaissance Monument and Gorée Island, reflecting on Africa’s heritage and the importance of protecting traditional knowledge and cultural expressions.

Outcomes & Forward Look The Summit concluded with a strong continental commitment to:

• Harmonise fragmented IP systems across Africa
• Strengthen enforcement and commercialisation for MSMEs, youth, women, and indigenous communities
• Fully operationalise the AfCFTA IP Protocol
• Integrate IP into national development strategies and Agenda 2063

The event ended with the Dakar Declaration and the announcement that the 7th All Africa IP Summit will be hosted in 2026.

ITRC’s Commitment Since establishing the Africa IP Centre in 2019, ITRC has remained at the forefront of advocacy, policy dialogue, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to make intellectual property a genuine tool for Africa’s economic transformation. The 2025 Summit further solidified this mission.

Get the Summit Report – Click here

Download the full 6th All Africa IP Summit 2025 Report (PDF)

We invite governments, IP offices, innovators, researchers, MSMEs, and development partners to engage with the recommendations and join us in building the inclusive, innovation-driven IP ecosystem Africa deserves.

Africa’s IP Future Starts Here.

Organised by the Africa Intellectual Property Centre (ITRC) #AllAfricaIPSummit #AfCFTA #IntellectualPropertyAfrica #InclusiveInnovation

For enquiries or collaboration opportunities, contact us via Africaipsummit@it-rc.org.