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IP Helpdesk

IP Guides

The following Helpdesk publications provide a range of expert-written guides that assist businesses in understanding the IP landscape in Africa.

 

 

 

Thumbnail_Trade mark registration tips in Ghana

 

Trade Mark Registration Tips In Ghana

Trade mark registration is a crucial step for businesses and individuals looking to protect their brands and intellectual property. In Ghana, as in many other jurisdictions, trade marks serve as an essential tool in establishing brand identity, ensuring market exclusivity, and preventing unauthorized use of brand elements by competitors. 

With the increasing importance of brand recognition in today’s global market, understanding the process and requirements for trade mark registration in Ghana is vital for any business or individual operating in the country.

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Thumbnail_Tips on managing onilne Piracy and TM Infringement

 

Tips On Managing Online Piracy And Trade Mark Infringement

Online piracy and trade mark infringement remain significant challenges for businesses in the rapidly evolving digital age. Despite businesses raising serious concerns and exploring various means to manage online piracy and trade mark infringement, the challenges persist, even with local and international attempts to address these issues.

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Thumbnail_Innovation Industry and IP in Rwanda

 

Innovation Industry And Ip In Rwanda

Rwanda is fast becoming a hub of innovation and technological advancement in Africa.

The country's ambitious Vision 2050 sets a clear path toward transforming Rwanda into a knowledge-based economy, driven by innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.

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Thumbnail Guide to plan variety in Uganda

 

Guide To Plant Variety In Uganda

Plant variety protection is a crucial component of agricultural innovation and food security. It grants breeders exclusive rights over new and distinct plant varieties, encouraging investment in research and development.

For a country like Uganda, where agriculture plays a vital role in the economy and sustenance, effective PVP can drive the creation of improved crop varieties, leading to enhanced productivity, resilience to climate change, and sustainable agricultural growth.

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OAPI_TRADE_MARKS_GUIDE_2024

 

OAPI Trade Marks Guide 2024

This guide provides comprehensive information about the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI), including its legal framework, trademark registration process, and key differences from ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation).

This guide serves as an essential resource for businesses, SMEs, and legal professionals looking to protect trademarks across OAPI member states.

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Guide to IPR Protection in EGYPT

In Egypt, as in many countries, protecting intellectual property assets is of paramount importance for fostering innovation, encouraging business development, and ensuring fair competition. As a rapidly growing economy, a strong IP system is crucial for attracting both local and international investments, stimulating research and development, and enhancing the global competitiveness of businesses.

In this guide, we will explore the key aspects of intellectual property law in Egypt, its benefits to various stakeholders, and the steps necessary to protect and enforce IP rights within the Egyptian legal framework. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for anyone seeking to maximise the potential of their intellectual assets in today’s competitive global market.

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Copyright Tips for Content Creators and Influencers in Nigeria

Copyright is a form of intellectual property which protects all forms of work including literary and artistic works from exploitation without authorization from the owner. The copyright owner has the exclusive right to prohibit or authorize reproduction, distribution, public performance, public display, and creation or production of derivative works.

The purpose of this guide is to educate content creators and influencers about their legal rights and responsibilities with respect to their original works. It aims to equip them with the knowledge to protect their intellectual property, avoid legal pitfalls, and maximize their content's value. Additionally, the article seeks to guide them in using third-party content legally and ethically, fostering a more respectful and professional creative community.

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Commercialisation Strategies in South Africa: The Do’s and Don'ts

Developing the perfect IP commercialisation strategy in South Africa is complex and depends on numerous factors for its success. Moreover, with various IP commercialisation strategies available, selecting the most suitable strategy can be challenging for SMEs looking to expand into its markets.
This IP guide, therefore, aims to provide a comprehensive framework for businesses and SMEs to effectively monetize their intellectual properties in South Africa.

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Food and Intellectual Property in Morocco

In this guide, we will look at the diversity of food according to regions identified by the Moroccan ministry of Tourism, the legal framework for food protection in Morrocco and protection of food under IP laws. This guide will briefly look at the steps taken by the Moroccan government to promote the protection of food under IP laws and steps taken to showcase Morocco’s food diversity.

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Tips for International Registration of Trademarks in Africa - IP Guide

In today's increasingly globalized economy, trademark registration is a vital component for businesses looking to establish and protect their brand identity in any jurisdiction where they operate. The importance of trademark registration cannot be overstated especially in Africa as the continent continues to experience rapid economic growth, increasing foreign investment and also faces huge issues with counterfeiting. Securing trademark rights in Africa therefore becomes crucial for businesses aiming to expand, successfully compete and maintain their goodwill in the African market.

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Guide to market access to Angola: the manufacturing sector

During the opening ceremony of the 5th Edition of the Industrial Fair, which took place in March 2023, João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, stated that the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of the Angolan manufacturing industry registered a cumulative 7.7 %1 in the period from 2018 to 2022.

Angola’s main industries are oil, gas and diamonds. The country also produces gold, granite, gypsum, marble and salt, and has numerous undeveloped minerals with potential for extraction, including beryllium, clay, copper, iron ore, lead, lignite, manganese, mica, nickel, peat, phosphate rock, quartz, silver, tungsten, uranium, vanadium and zinc.

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Guide on intellectual property (IP) due diligence in Nigeria

Conducting an IP due diligence is a detailed assessment of your company’s intellectual property (IP). It is a critical process when evaluating a business for investment, partnership and acquisition opportunities. It involves an in-depth examination of patents, trade marks, designs, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property assets, providing a reliable assessment of their ownership, validity, enforceability and potential infringement. In short, IP due diligence is a thorough assessment of a company’s IP assets to understand their value, risks and potential for future use.

In Nigeria, IP due diligence is an important practice that should be adopted to ensure that you maximise your IP for monetary value in the course of exploiting your rights or in the course of acquiring new IP through any form of partnership.

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Guide to Market Access to Ghana: The Food Industry

Ghana’s growing food industry is expected to show an annual growth rate of 32.5% resulting in a projected market volume of USD 223.50 million by 2025. 

To safeguard trade related intellectual property rights generally, and within the food industry sector in particular, Ghana has developed and is implementing relevant IP laws consistent with international best practices. The aim is to facilitate the acquisition and enforcement of IPRs within its jurisdiction in the interest of businesses and foreign direct investors.

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Kenya - IPR protection at the border

Protecting intellectual property rights (IPRs) from counterfeiters and copycats is key to ensuring continued success and trust amongst customers in the Eastern Africa region.

In Kenya, numerous organisations are involved in the fight against counterfeiting. This guide focuses on two major organisations that act at the border against counterfeit products: the Kenya Revenue Authority, which is responsible for customs, and the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA). The ACA is a state organisation mandated to act against counterfeit goods and goods bearing counterfeit marks, and against any means used to create a counterfeited product.

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