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Speakers at ImpactHER’s 2025 World Intellectual Property Webinar have identified the role that intellectual property plays in helping entrepreneurs achieve business success.
The webinar, which was organised by ImpactHER, was held in partnership with the African Union, and had in attendance over 260 female entrepreneurs from 29 African countries and three non-African nations.
According to the keynote speaker and Senior Partner, Jackson, Etti & Edu, Uwa Ohiku, intellectual property plays a vital role in business success, some of which include helping businesses gain competitive advantage, creating new revenue opportunities, improving access to funding, attracting strategic partners, minimising legal risks, footprint expansion, and earning customers trust.
Panellists, who spoke on the topic, “Common IP pitfalls for female entrepreneurs,” noted that female entrepreneurs can protect themselves from falling prey through Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), early registration before the commencement of business as well as and having a commensurate budget matches business strength.
An intellectual property specialist, Jenner Akwale, urged female entrepreneurs to do regular audits of their IP, create a policy that guides their IP, desist from using copyrighted work as their own, and always read all contracts carefully.
Another panellist, Susan Musyoka, advised that female entrepreneurs should embed their IP in their business strategy to foster creativity.
In her submission, the Head of Legal at EbonyLife Studios, Omotayo Queen Onakoju, said female business owners should not be tempted to download free online materials and use them for marketing purposes, noting that such an act constitutes copyright infringements.
English (US) ·