The Mystery, Power, Purpose, and Ownership of Talent & Knowledge by Mary Concilia Anchang

In the Women’s IP World Annual 2025, Mary Concilia Anchang, Managing Partner at Onambele, Anchang & Associates, Cameroon, explores the profound connection between knowledge, talent, and intellectual property. Her article underscores why Africa’s future economic growth hinges on recognising, protecting, and owning its creative and cultural assets.

The Power and Mystery of Knowledge

Knowledge is invisible yet invaluable. It transforms ideas into solutions and innovation, but without recognition and protection, it remains vulnerable. Mary Concilia describes knowledge as the “fruit of the mind,” requiring validation and protection through intellectual property to create lasting impact.

Africa’s Challenges in Innovation and IP

Rapid technological growth, climate pressures, and limited resources make Africa’s innovation landscape particularly complex. While artificial intelligence and digitisation reshape global markets, Africa struggles with basic welfare challenges. The gap in research funding and IP awareness often leaves African creators unable to secure rights to their innovations, making them easy targets for exploitation.

Building African Ownership of IP Assets

To empower African economies, Mary Concilia calls for investment in research and development (R&D), technology transfer, and stronger IP ownership. She highlights initiatives like the African Chamber of Trade & Commerce (ACC), established to drive Africa’s renaissance by integrating IP into industrial activities through public-private partnerships. Textiles and Cultural Heritage: A Case Study

The African textile and fashion industry exemplifies both the potential and vulnerability of unprotected IP. Local designs are frequently counterfeited and sold at low prices by foreign producers. Without market standards or enforceable protections, African creatives watch their cultural heritage lose value on global markets.

The Role of Creative and Cultural Industries (CCIs)

Mary Concilia stresses that CCIs, though underappreciated in Africa, hold vast economic power. Protecting applied knowledge from Africa’s rich cultural heritage is essential for sustainable markets. Without adequate protection, traditional knowledge risks being owned and traded by outsiders.

Policy, Standards, and Global Integration

Africa’s governments must prioritise policies and regulations that incentivise investment and set market standards for local industries. Initiatives such as the International Forum for Cotton, Textiles, Accessories and Fashion (FICOTA) are essential to setting standards and supporting textile development.

Conclusion

Mary Concilia Anchang makes a powerful case: Africa must own its talent and knowledge to drive sustainable economic growth. Intellectual property, when recognised and enforced, offers African industries from textiles to technology the chance to compete globally and secure long-term resilience.

Read the full article in Women’s IP World Annual 2025, essential reading for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and innovators dedicated to building Africa’s economic future through knowledge, creativity, and intellectual property ownership.

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