The critical role of a Strong Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) System in advancing Kenya's industrialisation agenda cannot be overstated. Counterfeiting, or intellectual property theft, poses a significant threat to this progress. It not only affects fair trade, investment, and employment but also has far-reaching implications for innovation, the environment, and, crucially, the health and safety of consumers.
Globally, illicit trade, including counterfeiting, is a predominant menace, depriving the world economy of an estimated $2.2 trillion annually, equivalent to nearly three per cent of the global GDP. In Kenya, the Anti-Counterfeit Authority's baseline survey in 2018 revealed illicit trade amounting to Ksh826 billion, a 14% increase from the previous year. This trend persisted in 2019, with illicit trade accounting for 13% of the country's GDP, totalling Ksh800 billion.
