AI has strong potential to drive Africa’s economic growth and development, but it exposes gaps in existing intellectual property (IP) laws, especially around ownership and authorship of AI-generated works. These challenges are intensified by Africa’s limited role in global IP rule-making and pressures over control of local data.The policy brief argues for a context-specific African approach to AI and IP that considers the entire AI lifecycle, not just outputs. It highlights key tensions around AI regulation, access to quality data, and protection of Indigenous Knowledge.It recommends developing clear governance frameworks, enabling fair and responsible data access, protecting Indigenous Knowledge through community-centered mechanisms, and investing in local AI infrastructure such as datasets, research centres, and computing capacity.