If you have ever streamed a match on a pirate IPTV service or watched a film on an unlicensed platform, here is what that actually costs, KES 92 billion a year in losses to Kenya’s creative sector and KES 17.38 billion in tax revenue that never reaches the government.

Those numbers, cited by industry body Partners Against Piracy, were at the centre of a national forum convened in Nairobi on March 12th by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy. The meeting brought together regulators, broadcasters, telcos, and creative industry representatives to figure out what to do about a problem that has been growing quietly for years.

Beyond the money, the forum heard that illegal streaming platforms and pirate IPTV services are increasingly being used as entry points for malware, fraud, and data theft — meaning the person who thinks they are getting a free Premier League stream may be getting considerably more than they bargained for.

One of the key proposals on the table is an IP blocking tool that would allow regulators and internet service providers to cut off access to illegal platforms, particularly during high-value live broadcasts. Stakeholders say the tool would operate under legal authorisation and regulatory oversight to avoid over-blocking legitimate services.

“Piracy is not a victimless act. It deprives creators of income, weakens the sustainability of the creative economy, and discourages investment in local content production,” said Mike Strano, Chairman of Partners Against Piracy.

The forum ended with a proposal to form a multi-sectoral taskforce to push the agenda forward. Whether that translates into action and how quickly will determine whether Kenya’s creative economy gets the protection its scale now demands.