Experts Call for Stronger IP Systems to Unlock Uganda’s Sports Economy
Experts have called for stronger collaboration, awareness, and branding to unlock the full economic potential of Uganda’s sports industry during a panel discussion at the World Intellectual Property Day celebrations in Kololo.
The discussion comprised key stakeholders, including Moses Magogo Hassim, President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations, who stressed that commercialisation of sport depends on building demand. “However much we want to commercialise, there has to be demand, and demand doesn’t just appear. It’s built through intentional branding, visibility, and putting yourself out there,” he said.
He added that sport, now a multi-billion-dollar global industry, can drive economic transformation if properly organised and protected.
Legal experts also highlighted the importance of collective action. Ivan Ojakol, a partner at Matrix Advocates, noted that intellectual property cannot be enforced by individuals alone. “It requires unions, federations, and all relevant bodies working together,” he said.
Moses Benon Mwase pointed to gaps in awareness and systems, saying the absence of strong structures like collective bargaining limits the growth of IP in Uganda’s sports sector.
Athletes’ representative Shadir Musa Bwogi emphasized the need for better promotion of sports brands, noting that teams and officials must do more to grow visibility.
Globally, World IP Day highlights how intellectual property rights such as trademarks, copyrights, and image rights support revenue streams in sport, including broadcasting, sponsorship, and merchandising. Panelists agreed that strengthening these systems in Uganda could significantly boost the country’s sports economy.
