Background On Intellectual Property Right Systems
The Intellectual Property Right (IPR) system is an international system and one of the tools used for the economic development of a nation. The IPR system plays a vital role in the economic growth strategies of nations at all stages of their development. The IPR system helps to spur innovation and benefits users and consumers by supporting and encouraging inventions, creation of innovative, new and improved products and knowledge that improves the quality of life. Ghana has over the years, taken steps in strengthening its IPR system to enable the country to fully utilize the system to enhance the competitiveness of businesses/companies.
In this regard, Ghana for the first time since 2016, has had a national policy in place on Intellectual Property Rights known as the National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy. With respect to the strategic direction of the IPR policy, its short-term goal is to “establish a functional and sustainable intellectual property system in Ghana and in the long term, exploit Intellectual Property Rights for accelerated growth in technological and industrial development. Ghana has a clear policy direction as to how the IPR system is to be used for the economic, industrial and technological development of the country
Introduction, Ghana’s 24h+ Economy Program
The Government of Ghana’s 24H+ Economy Programme aims to accelerate economic growth through five strategic pillars—(I) Culture, Arts & Tourism (SHOW24); (II) Manufacturing Growth (MAKE24); (III) Value-Chain Financing & Trade Facilitation (FUND24 & CONNECT24); (IV) Pharmaceutical Clusters; and (V) Cross-Programme Enablers. At the heart of each pillar, IPR is a powerful tool: Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) can be used to unlock domestic innovation, attract investment, and enhance Ghana’s competitiveness across Africa and beyond. Below is how IPRs can be deployed along each thematic area in the Government’s 24H+ Economic Strategy.
1. Show24
Ghana’s vibrant creative scene—from Highlife and Hiplife to emerging fusion genres remains under-leveraged because fewer than one in four artists register trademarks for their brands, stage names or event series. Without formal trademark protection, creators miss out on licensing opportunities, risk imitation, and lose leverage in sponsorship negotiations. To change this, the 24H+ programme would have to deliberately look at strategies to register and manage collective marks.
For instance, it is reported that trademark applications in the arts and creative sectors rose by 31% in overall Nigerian trademark filings during Nigeria’s ARISE initiative, a World Bank–backed programme to boost creative-sector IPR sector in Nigeria. Finally, 24H+ would have to empower Local Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) to monitor and enforce trademark use for musicians, filmmakers and artisans, thereby, ensuring members can license their marks and collect fair fees. In parallel, partnerships with technology initiatives, the IP Office can advise the program to introduce blockchain-based trademark tracking for merchandise and digital goods on platforms like YouTube and Spotify, deterring unauthorized use and opening new revenue streams for Ghanaian creatives.
2. Make24:
Branding “Made-in-Ghana” Manufactures To transform local manufacturing—textiles, agro-processing, and light industries —into export champions, Ghana must leverage: • Geographical Indications (GIs): By securing GIs for products that are uniquely Ghanaian—ranging from Smock, Shea Butter, Gorbe to Ghana Jollof rice, Waakye, Dzomi palm oil, Bolga Hats and Baskets, Kente cloth, and Cocoa—Ghana can capture a “premium of place” just as Burkina Faso did with its Faso Dan Fani silk (a 50 percent price uplift for artisan cooperatives).
Globally, France’s Champagne GI contributes over €5 billion annually to the region’s economy; India’s Darjeeling tea GI commands a 30 percent price premium on the world market; Colombia’s Coffee GI has lifted small–producer incomes by 25 percent; and Spain’s Manchego cheese GI underpins a €700 million export industry.
Closer to home, South Africa’s Rooibos tea GI yielded a 300 percent price increase for smallholder growers between 2010–2020, while Ethiopia’s Coffee GI boosted farmer earnings by 25 percent. By replicating these models—registering, enforcing, and marketing its signature foods, textiles, and crafts—Ghana can ensure that its cultural heritage translates directly into higher incomes and stronger rural economies.
• Industrial Design and Trademark Registries: Establish a dedicated IPR registration regime at the Ghana Industrial Property Office of the Registrar General’s Department for SMEs in Ghana’s industrial zones—Tema, Sekondi-Takoradi, Kumasi—so that these SMEs can secure and commercialize their unique designs and brand identities, commanding higher prices and ensuring supply-chain traceability. For instance, the European Patent Office and EU Intellectual Property Office’s 2023 “IPRs and Firm Performance” report shows that SMEs owning registered Community designs achieve a 44 % higher revenue per employee compared to non-IPR-owning peers EUIPO.
This robust, firm-level evidence demonstrates that formal design and trademark registrations directly correlate with improved productivity and higher prices on international markets. By embedding similarly rigorous registries and support services in Ghana’s light-manufacturing sectors—textiles, agro-processing, homeware—the 24H+ Programme can ensure home-grown innovations translate into premium-priced exports.
3. Fund24 & Connect24
Financing Innovation and Exports Strengthening access to capital and markets requires innovative IPR-linked mechanisms for SMEs and other light industries: • Tax Incentives: Entities will require support for development of their innovations; these two incentives are proposed: ➢ the grant of tax credits in respect to the identification, develop and exploit their respective innovations. The grant of tax credits will improve cash flow during early development and future exploitation of their innovations. ➢ Introduce a reduced corporate-tax rate on income derived from making licensing, royalties, or selling IP and IPRs.
4. Pharmaceutical Clusters: Localising Healthcare Solutions in Ghana. The drive to local pharmaceutical production in the country must be based on robust IPR and Regulatory framework regime. One that is deliberately structured to enhance growth and sustainability within the unique Ghanian and African contest through a strategy such as:
• Technology Transfer Partnerships: With the deliberate institutionalization of IPR regimes such as the TRIPS Flexibilities and infrastructure development within the Ghanian context, the country can Leverage the Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park to facilitate patent and know-how licensing between research teams and industry, to deploy a robust system that manufactures strategic medicines and vaccines. This system can be modelled on Ethiopia’s Pasteur Institute partnership that cut vaccine import bills by 60%.
5. Cross-Programme Enablers
Building a National IPR Ecosystem. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) considerations should be central to the 24H+ economic transformation agenda. By building institutional capacity and infrastructure, this will enable the country to turn creativity and innovation into sustainable growth. A cohesive IP ecosystem will bind 24H+ together and multiply impact. Below is a concise roadmap of ten strategic actions to establish a vibrant national IPR ecosystem.
• IPR Awareness Campaigns: Roll out national outreach—radio in local languages, church seminars, university workshops—to achieve 80% awareness of IPR benefits within 10 years.
• National IPR Strategy: There must be a deliberate plan to oversee the full implementation of the country’s IPR policy, enforcement, and capacity-building, as well as relevant infrastructure such that IPR Implementation Unit in Ghana may increasing filings by 30%.
• Community Land Trusts & Agricultural IPRs: Register locally bred plant varieties (e.g., yam, cassava, rice etc) under UPOV-like standards, allowing Trusts to secure concessional financing—following Kenya’s Seed-to-Market project that saw smallholder incomes rise by 25%.
Conclusion
For Ghana’s 24H+ Programme to succeed, IPR must be more than a legal appendix—it must be a strategic driver. By localising proven IPR frameworks, Ghana can catalyse creative industries, industrialise manufacturing, finance innovation, and secure healthcare autonomy.
Strategic implementation will position Ghana not just as a pioneer in West Africa, but as a beacon of African innovation and economic transformation. The Ghana Industria Property Office (GHIPO) of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) well placed to support the program to succeed within the country’s current IPR regime.
