Intellectual Property Workshop strengthens U.S.-Nigeria commercial ties in Music Industry

The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos convened more than 120 intellectual property (IP) policymakers, lawyers, music executives, artists, producers, distributors, and other creative industry stakeholders for a three-day workshop exploring how stronger IP protection can unlock investment, expand revenues, and create new commercial opportunities for American businesses and Nigeria’s rapidly growing music industry.

The United States brings decades of experience in building a music industry that has turned American creativity into a global economic force.  As part of the U.S. Mission’s celebration of 250 years of independence, this workshop, titled “IP for Growth in Africa: Lagos Music Industry Workshop,” provided an opportunity to highlight American excellence and experience in the creative sector while learning from the extraordinary talent and innovation coming out of Nigeria.

At the closing ceremony of the workshop, U.S. Consul General Brandon Hudspeth underscored the growing commercial partnership between the American and Nigerian music industries, noting that U.S. record labels including Universal Music Group, EMPIRE, Sony, and Warner Music Group, as well as platforms such as YouTube, Meta, and Apple Music, have helped Nigerian artists reach global audiences generate revenue, attract investment, and create jobs across the creative value chain.

“The United States sees Nigeria’s music industry not only as a powerful cultural force, but as a significant trade and investment opportunity.  As Afrobeats reaches more listeners around the world, we will continue to see more American music companies work with more Nigerian artists, labels, publishers, platforms, and other creative businesses,” Consul General Hudspeth said.

He emphasized that strong IP protection and enforcement are essential to creating…