➤ National Protection

• For the majority of African countries that are not members of either ARIPO or OAPI, intellectual property rights must be registered directly through national systems. Each country has its own legal framework and procedures for registering patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and other forms of IP.

• Navigating these diverse and sometimes complex systems requires a deep understanding of local laws and practices, as well as a strategic approach tailored to the specific requirements of each jurisdiction.

• At Amada Legal, we possess expert local knowledge and extensive experience in handling intellectual property registrations across Africa. We have a network of offices and local associates and our team is well-versed in the unique legal environments of various African nations and is equipped to guide clients through the entire process, from application to enforcement.

• Whether you are seeking to protect your IP in a single country or multiple jurisdictions, we are committed to ensuring that your rights are secured efficiently and effectively across the continent.

• For further information regarding intellectual property protection in African Countries, contact us at africa@amadalegal.com.

➤ Regional Protection - ARIPO

• ARIPO - African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1976 as an intellectual property organisation for Africa by the Lusaka Agreement.

• ARIPO provides a centralized system for the registration and management of patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and other forms of intellectual property across its 22 member countries in Africa, specifcally, Botswana, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Eswatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Gambia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

• For further information regarding intellectual property protection in ARIPO, visit the page dedicated to this organisation.

➤ Regional Protection - OAPI

• OAPI - Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (African Intellectual Property Organization) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1962 by the Bangui Agreement.

• OAPI provides a centralized system for the registration and management of patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and other forms of intellectual property across its 17 member countries in Africa, specifically, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad, Togo.

• For further information regarding intellectual property protection in OAPI, visit the page dedicated to this organisation.