Ramaphane Law Group sponsors continental conversation on intellectual property, indigenous knowledge and Africa’s economic potential.
From traditional medicines and natural products to textiles, music, designs and cultural expressions, knowledge developed and preserved by African communities over generations is finding new relevance in global markets. Yet an important economic question remains: who benefits when that knowledge becomes commercially valuable?
This question lies at the heart of TRADEVISION54, a continental webinar scheduled for 13 November 2026 under the theme, “WHO GETS TO CONTROL AND BENEFIT FROM AFRICAN KNOWLEDGE, CULTURE, BIO DIVERSITY AND DATA?
Ramaphane Law Group is sponsoring the engagement, which brings together legal practitioners, intellectual property specialists and development experts from across Africa and beyond. The discussion comes at a time when the global market is showing growing interest in Africa’s biodiversity, traditional products, cultural heritage and creative industries. While this presents significant opportunities for African economies, it also raises concerns about the appropriation and commercial use of indigenous knowledge without adequate consent, recognition or financial benefit to the communities that have preserved it.
For African businesses, this is not merely a question of cultural preservation. It is a question of economic ownership and competitiveness.
Traditional knowledge, cultural expressions and locally developed products can hold considerable commercial value. However, without appropriate protection and benefit-sharing arrangements, the communities and countries from which these resources originate may remain on the margins of the value chains built around them.
The challenge is that conventional intellectual property systems do not always accommodate the collective, intergenerational and customary nature of indigenous knowledge. A traditional design, medicinal practice or body of cultural knowledge may belong to a community rather than an individual inventor. Protecting such knowledge therefore requires approaches that recognise community rights while creating responsible opportunities for commercial use.
The webinar will explore practical mechanisms for addressing these challenges, including geographical indications, collective marks, access-and-benefit-sharing agreements, community protocols and free, prior and informed consent. It will also consider how digital platforms and artificial intelligence are changing the way cultural and indigenous knowledge is accessed, reproduced and commercialised.
The programme will feature Dr Edward Kwakwa as keynote speaker. Dr Kwakwa recently concluded a distinguished 30-year career with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), where he held senior positions, including General Counsel and Assistant Director General for the Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector. His experience in international intellectual property policy and the protection of traditional knowledge brings significant depth to the discussion.
He will be joined by Letlhogonolo Moremi, Founder of ParkGrey IP and a specialist in intellectual property and development policy; Daniella Khanani, who works with WIPO’s Global Challenges, Opportunities and Partnerships Sector in New York and holds an LLM in Intellectual Property and AI Governance from Columbia University; Michelle Okyere, a Ghanaian-qualified lawyer and doctoral researcher whose work focuses on geographical indications in Africa; and Habeeb Gobir, a Nigerian lawyer specialising in intellectual property, entertainment and technology law.
The session will be moderated by Ms Jelimo, an International Trade and Investment Lawyer and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, whose work spans international economic law, agricultural trade and regional integration.
For Ramaphane Law Group, the sponsorship reflects the growing importance of intellectual property to Africa’s trade, investment and development agenda. As African economies seek to diversify, strengthen local industries and participate more meaningfully in global value chains, the ability to protect and commercialise their intellectual assets will become increasingly important.
The commercial opportunity is considerable. But the benefits must extend beyond those who bring products to market. African communities must be recognised as custodians and contributors to the knowledge that underpins these industries, with fair arrangements for participation and benefit sharing.
Ultimately, the conversation is about ensuring that Africa does not simply supply the raw materials, stories, designs and knowledge that fuel global markets, but also retains a meaningful stake in the value created from them.
TRADEVISION54 will take place on 13 November 2026 at 7:00 pm SAST.
Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0TyBILjv0l8g0WX0hkC56Vx6e7wloHsa-gPNRqx3sCC-hXw/viewform
