The Kenyan government has proposed merging three State agencies into a single authority to bolster intellectual property (IP) protection and combat counterfeit trade.

• The Kenya Intellectual Property Authority Bill aims to consolidate the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), the Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo), and the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA).
• This move seeks to streamline IP law administration, reduce duplication of functions, and improve enforcement effectiveness under one institution.
• The proposal comes amidst international scrutiny, including a report from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) highlighting inadequate IP enforcement in Kenya.