OAPI member states (17): Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros Islands, Congo Brazzaville, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.

No. When filing an application at OAPI, it is not possible to designate specific countries. Rather, a single application is filed which covers all member states at time of filing.

No, this is not possible. Upon joining OAPI, all member states waive their rights to national IP filings. Although each member state has a national liaison office, this liaison office does not examine applications nor grant rights.

The working languages of OAPI are English and French. All documents filed in support of applications must be in either English or French.

The patent shall expire at the end of the twentieth calendar year following the filing date of the application.

Any person wishing to avail himself of the priority of an earlier application shall be required to file his patent application within the specified deadlines, and then within six months of filing the application, submit the Priority documents at the Registry.

Annuities are due each year on the anniversary of the international filing date (PCT). Payment can then be made, together with a supplement for late payment, within six months after the due date.