ARIPO

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation has 22 member states namely Botswana, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Currently, 13 countries can be designated for trademark registration and 19 for patents, utility models and industrial designs.

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) is an intergovernmental Organization that grants and administers IP titles on behalf of its Member States.

ARIPO currently has 22 members namely Botswana, Cape Verde, Kingdom of Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

20 Member States can be designated for patent protection under the Harare Protocol while 13 can be designated for trademark protection under the Banjul Protocol.

Trademark Registration Process

Learn more about the process

Trademark Review

Your lawyers will help you to review the trademark(s) to be registered and advise you of the best protection approach according to the country laws and requirements.

Trademark Classification

With the knowledge of your goods/services, your lawyers will assist you with identifying the most appropriate international class for your trademark.

Trademark Search

Although not mandatory, a trademark clearance search should be conducted to establish if your trademark can be registered and used in the market.

Filing

Your lawyers will submit your application for registration after reviewing and confirming that all formal requirements by the respective IPO have been met.

Examination

At this stage, the IPO will examine whether your trademark fulfills the requirements of the applicable trademark law.

Publication

After the examination process, the trademark is published and third parties may submit an opposition against it being registered. Your lawyers' role is to address and respond to any oppositions and ensure that your trademark proceeds to registration.

Registration

After the opposition period, your trademark is registered and a certificate of registration is issued.

Watch Service

Registration of the trademark is just the beginning, there is need for vigilance in the market. Your lawyers help you lookout for potential infringement through our trademark watch service.

Renewal

Trademark registration is valid for a specific period of years after which it has to be renewed, 10 years in most jurisdictions with a few exceptions. We got you covered.