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Originally published by The Standard BusinessNovember 3, 2025
7h ago
Counterfeiting costs Kenya nearly 9 per cent of GDP, new data shows
Kenya is losing more than Sh800 billion every year to counterfeiting and intellectual property (IP) violations, this is according to new estimates by the Anti-Counterfeit Authority...
✨ Key Highlights
Kenya is losing an alarming Sh800 billion annually to counterfeiting and intellectual property (IP) violations, representing nearly 9 percent of the nation's GDP. This critical issue underscores the urgent need for enhanced IP enforcement and regional collaboration to protect innovation and consumers.
- According to CEO Robi King’a of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Kenya loses over Sh100 billion yearly to IP infringement, posing a significant threat to fair trade and industrial growth.
- A recent Sub-Regional Seminar on Intellectual Property Enforcement in Nairobi, co-organized by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO), brought together officials from Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe to strengthen capacity against cross-border counterfeiting.
- Despite 83.8 percent of Kenyans being aware of counterfeit products, enforcement remains challenging due to limited funding, fragmented structures, and low penalties for offenders, with over 30 percent of counterfeit sales now occurring on digital platforms.
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