By 
By Ross Moyo
Music is not just culture. In the US model, it’s nearly half the economy.
That was the core message from Catherine Hiner as she outlined the IP for Growth initiative, a new US government program to strengthen IP frameworks across Africa’s creative industries.
The briefing came after workshops in Lagos and Johannesburg that brought together artists, CMOs, lawyers, and policymakers.
The US Numbers Hiner Cited:
– $11.4 trillion: Contribution of IP-intensive industries to US GDP in 2024
– 44%: Share of total US private sector GDP
– 65.8 million jobs: 44% of all US private sector jobs
– $1.58 trillion: Commodity exports from IP-intensive industries, 80%+ of total US exports
– 130% earnings premium: Workers in copyright-intensive industries earn 130% more than average. That premium grew 30% from 2014-2024.
“The covering the digital age. The value of IP is not declining. It’s growing,” Hiner said.
For Africa, the data is also promising. IFPI reports SSA music revenue has grown double-digits for 5 straight years.
But Hiner and other speakers flagged 3 blockers:
1. Lack of transparency in CMOs
2. Low public awareness of IP rights
3. Weak enforcement against piracy
When asked by TechnoMag’s Ross Moyo about tools for Zimbabwean artists on TikTok, YouTube and Spotify, Hiner said USPTO’s tool is facilitation — connecting governments, law enforcement via the IPR Centre, and creators to build systems that can capture that growth.
“The talent demand is there. The value is slipping through the gap,”_ she said, referencing the $286M uncollected in Kenya and Nigeria.
Hiner closed by noting the initiative will culminate at WIPO’s Standing Committee on Copyright in Geneva, bringing African success stories and challenges back to the multilateral table.
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