Onyinye Odita speaks on Protecting Africa’s Emerging Creative Economy

By Tosin Clegg

In a creative landscape increasingly shaped by cross-border digital platforms, licensing battles, and global content distribution, Onyinye Odita stood out as a compelling voice at the Afro Culture Convention 2022—an event celebrating the fast-rising world of African comics, gaming, and animation. Her presence marked a notable moment for creators navigating the delicate balance between artistic freedom and commercial protection in a rapidly globalizing creative economy.

Speaking during the workshop session “Comics, Gaming and Animation in the Global Creative Market,” Odita delivered a grounded yet forward-looking analysis of intellectual property protection in an era where African creative content is gaining unprecedented international visibility. Her message was direct: African creativity holds immense value, but that value is only fully realized when the systems safeguarding, licensing, and commercializing it are firmly in place.

During the interactive Q&A session, a participant asked how young African creators can compete with established global studios. Odita responded by reframing intellectual property as a strategic asset rather than an afterthought. She emphasized the importance of trademark registration, character franchising, and cross-licensing models—structures that elevate local creative projects into internationally competitive intellectual capital.

Her contribution positioned her alongside a distinguished faculty of studio executives, digital rights advocates, and venture capital partners. The clarity and depth of her insights further cemented her reputation as a trusted authority on IP commercialization and valuation in Africa’s fast-expanding creative ecosystem.

Just months after the convention, her expertise was again spotlighted when the Intellectual Property and Technology Law Club of the University of Ibadan invited her to its NEXUS 2023 panel, “Art and Ownership: Understanding IP in Music, Film, and Literature.” Hosted at the LPI Innovation Hub, the event featured notable cultural figures such as Lola Shoneyin and Layi Wasabi. Odita’s session focused on monetizing artistic rights and the crucial role of intellectual property in sustaining long-term creative livelihoods.

Addressing one of the most persistent misconceptions among emerging artists—that global visibility automatically leads to financial reward—she stressed that real profit flows from ownership structures that determine who gets paid and under what terms. Her explanation resonated deeply with students and industry participants. The club’s president later described her presentation as a “masterclass in practical IP strategy for Africa’s creative future.”