COPYRIGHT CRACKDOWN! Uganda to host big African symposium as URSB moves to protect creators

By Evans Najuna

KAMPALA — Uganda is set to host a major continental symposium on copyright and related rights as the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) steps up efforts to protect creatives from exploitation and ensure they earn from their talent.

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Symposium on Copyright and Related Rights Management will run from October 19 to 21, 2026, at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, bringing together regional and international stakeholders to discuss ways of strengthening intellectual property protection across Africa.

The symposium, organised by ARIPO in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and URSB, will run under the theme “Empowering Creativity: Harnessing IP for Sustainable Development in Africa.” It is also part of activities leading up to ARIPO’s 50th anniversary in December 2026.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Wednesday, URSB Acting Registrar General Mustapher Ntale said the meeting would help strengthen copyright administration and unlock the economic potential of Uganda’s creative industry.

Ntale noted that although Uganda and Africa boast enormous creative talent, many artists and other creators still need stronger systems to protect their work and earn from it.

“Copyright must function not only as a legal right, but also as an economic asset that generates income, creates jobs and attracts investment,” Ntale said.

He explained that URSB is strengthening Uganda’s copyright administration framework through legal reforms and support for collective management organisations that help creators benefit financially from their works.

The bureau established a dedicated Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Department in April 2025 to provide specialised services to the creative industry.

The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Amendment Act, No. 8 of 2026, introduces reforms addressing copyright protection in the digital environment, orphan works, collective management organisations and administrative mechanisms for resolving copyright complaints.

URSB Commissioner for Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Miriam Nabatanzi said effective copyright protection would not only benefit individual artists but also strengthen businesses and contribute to national development.

She argued that a properly functioning copyright system gives creators a better chance of earning from their efforts while boosting investor confidence in the creative economy.

The three-day symposium will bring together policymakers, heads of copyright offices, collective management organisations and other stakeholders from ARIPO member states to discuss licensing, royalty administration, enforcement, digital piracy and cross-border cooperation.

KENZO’S OFFICE JOINS THE PUSH

Representatives from the Office of the Senior Presidential Adviser on Creatives, headed by musician and presidential adviser Edrisa Musuuza, popularly known as Eddie Kenzo, also attended the briefing.

Martin Muhumuza, the office’s Director of Research, said the symposium would give Ugandan creatives practical knowledge on protecting their works while helping businesses and other users understand the proper procedures for accessing and using copyrighted material.

Muhumuza said the engagement would benefit both creators seeking to safeguard their intellectual property and individuals or organisations interested in legally using creative works.

Representing the creative sector, Kenzo emphasised the need for stronger copyright awareness, respect for intellectual property and systems that ensure artists receive fair compensation whenever their works generate commercial value.

“Ugandan artists and other creatives have the talent to reach global audiences. However, protecting our work and ensuring fair compensation are essential if creativity is to provide sustainable livelihoods,” he said.

The symposium will also build on regional efforts to strengthen copyright cooperation, including the Kampala Protocol on the Voluntary Registration of Copyright and Related Rights, adopted at a diplomatic conference hosted by Uganda in August 2021.

URSB has called on creators, businesses, digital platforms, policymakers and the media to support copyright awareness campaigns and promote respect for intellectual property rights.

The bureau says stronger protection of creative works is critical to building a sustainable creative economy in which artists, musicians, writers and other innovators can turn their talent into reliable income and employment opportunities.