THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
When Ghana unveiled the international Geographical Indication (GI) protection for Kente on 30 September 2025, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), it was more than a bureaucratic achievement. It marked a turning point in the centuries-long journey of one of Africa’s most recognisable cultural symbols. Today, the effects of this UN-backed intellectual property protection are beginning to reshape the Kente industry — from the weaving communities of Ashanti and Volta regions to global fashion houses and diaspora markets.
Vivian Asamoah explores how the GI decision is boosting the livelihoods of Kente weavers, strengthening Ghana’s creative economy and redefining the global value of African heritage products.
A Cultural Treasure Gains Legal Muscle
Kente has long been a source of pride for Ghanaians and people of African descent worldwide — a woven language of history, philosophy and identity. Yet for decades, the global market told a different story: mass-produced imitations from Asia flooded international trade, undercutting authentic artisans and diluting the cultural meaning of the cloth.
The 2025 GI designation changed that dynamic fundamentally.
A Geographical Indication legally ties the name Kente to a specific origin and production standard. In practical terms, only cloth hand-woven in recognised Ghanaian weaving communities, using approved methods defined in the official “Book of Specifications,” can be marketed internationally as “Kente.”
For the first time, Ghana possesses internationally recognised tools to challenge counterfeit Kente and prevent misleading commercial use of the name abroad.
A Premium Market for Authentic Weavers
One of the most visible benefits since the GI’s launch has been the increasing market value of authentic Kente. Buyers — from African diasporic consumers to luxury fashion brands — can now verify authenticity through certification and traceability systems. This has created:
• Higher selling prices for certified producers
Authenticity now carries a premium. Certified weaving groups report stronger bargaining power and growing demand for genuine cloth, especially for ceremonial garments and high-end fashion collaborations.
• A more organised industry
Before the GI, the Kente sector was largely informal and fragmented. Certification now encourages producers to register cooperatives, adopt consistent quality standards and participate in formal value chains.
• Growing interest from international designers
With legal clarity around the use of the name, several designers and textile houses have begun seeking licensing arrangements — deals that bring money directly to Ghanaian artisans rather than to factories producing imitations.
Preserving Heritage Through Regulation
While the GI is an economic tool, it has also become a cultural safeguard. The decision required Ghana to document — meticulously — the traditional knowledge behind Kente weaving:
• the loom types
• the hand-weaving techniques
• the colour philosophies
• the meanings behind patterns and motifs
• the social customs associated with Kente production
This formal record is now helping to strengthen apprenticeships and transmit skills to younger generations, protecting not just the fabric but the living heritage behind it.
For many weaving families, the GI has provided a sense of ownership and recognition that they long felt missing in the international conversation about Kente.
Economic Ripple Effects Across Ghana
Beyond individual artisans, the GI is feeding into a broader vision for Ghana’s cultural and creative economy.
• Local value capture
Ghana can now demand licensing fees, royalties or direct procurement relationships for the use of the Kente name — revenue that previously leaked to foreign imitation producers.
• Tourism opportunities
Weaving towns such as Bonwire, Adanwomase, Agotime-Kpetoe and Agbozume are receiving more visibility and inquiries from cultural tourists, documentary filmmakers and fashion researchers.
• Foundation for future African GIs
Kente’s success has encouraged policymakers to develop GI protections for other Ghanaian products — such as beads, stools, traditional foods and unique agricultural goods — creating a broader model for protecting African heritage in global markets.
Challenges That Remain
While the GI has created unprecedented opportunities, its full potential depends on:
- effective enforcement in key export markets
- rigorous domestic certification and policing
- continuous training for weavers in quality standards and business practices
- investment in marketing and international partnerships
Ghana still needs to secure bilateral GI recognition agreements with certain major trading partners — a process that takes time, diplomacy and sustained funding.
A Turning Point for African Cultural Ownership
The GI protection for Kente represents a powerful shift in global cultural dynamics. For decades, African cultural products have been borrowed, copied or commercialised without the consent of their origin communities. The UN-backed protection of Kente signals a new era — one in which African nations assert legal and economic control over their cultural assets.
For the weaving communities of Ghana, the policy has already begun to deliver economic dignity. For Africa, it serves as a blueprint for reclaiming value from heritage industries that shape identity and global imagination.
As Ghana continues to build on the momentum of the 2025 decision, one thing is clear: Kente is not just protected — it is poised to thrive.
