By 
By Ross Moyo
Zimbabwe’s music industry is growing at record speed on TikTok, YouTube and Spotify. But for every stream, there’s a pirated download.
That gap was put directly to Catherine Hiner, Intellectual Property Attaché for Sub-Saharan Africa at the US Patent and Trademark Office during the launch briefing of the US government’s “IP for Growth” initiative.
Tech reporter Ross Moyo, of TechnoMag Zimbabwe asked in the live interaction: “Zimbabwe’s music industry on platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Spotify is growing fast, but piracy remains huge. What specific IP Tools can the USPTO offer African artists to monetize and protect music internationally?”
To which Hiner responded in real time that: “One of the best tools that we’re facilitators. We bring together the government officials, the industry and the local creators, to work across borders, with our agencies, our law enforcement agencies, the IPR Centre. We’re here to facilitate that dialogue to reinforce the importance to governments about the need to invest in those systems to address piracy and other digital age issues.”
The Data Behind The Problem
Hiner’s remarks come as Africa’s music market proves its economic weight.
According to IFPI’s latest Global Music Report, Sub-Saharan Africa markets have grown by double-digit figures for the past five years in a row — the fastest growing region globally.
Yet the value is leaking. Data presented during the Lagos and Johannesburg workshops under “IP for Growth” showed that in Kenya and Nigeria alone, $286 million in recorded revenue goes uncollected each year.
Hiner said the core issue is enforcement and coordination. The USPTO’s role is not direct litigation, but convening: linking Zimbabwean creators, ZIPO, and US agencies like the National IPR Coordination Center to share best practices on takedowns, streaming royalties, and cross-border enforcement.
“Piracy is not victimless,” Hiner warned during the briefing. “The money that’s pulling into organized crime is coming from piracy.”
For Zimbabwean artists trying to earn from Spotify playlists or TikTok sounds, Hiner said the first step is governments investing in legal frameworks and enforcement capacity, with USPTO acting as the bridge.
Comments