ARIPO (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle)

• Mauritius officially joins the ARIPO Harare Protocol

On May 27, 2025, Mauritius deposited its Instrument of Accession to ARIPO’s Harare Protocol covering patents, utility models, and industrial designs. It therefore became the 21st ARIPO member state. As of August 27, 2025, the accession became operational and Mauritius may be designated in ARIPO filings, including PCT regional phase applications.

• ARIPO joins the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)

In June 2025, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) officially joined the UPOV PRISMA platform, an advanced and secure online system developed by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). This integration enables plant breeders to submit Plant Variety Protection (PVP) applications under ARIPO’s regional scheme through a fully digital interface that covers all crops and species. This fusion is as a result of the enforcement of the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants on 24th November 2024.

OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle)

• International Tender Launched for New Director General

As of August 11, 2025, OAPI issued an international call for tenders to recruit a firm to assist in selecting its next Director General and other key non-category staff. This signals a planned transition in leadership structure..

Updates by Country

Nigeria

• Launch of Nigeria’s National IP Policy & Strategy

The Nigerian Federal Government announced the official launch of Nigeria’s long-awaited National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy in July 2025. The initiative is designed to support innovation, creative industries, and trade by strengthening IP protection and enforcement, including licensing, royalties, franchising, and digital content exports. The policy also aims to tackle rampant piracy and intellectual property theft, which have long plagued Nigeria’s creative, tech, and innovation sectors By offering legal protection for original works and inventions, the strategy seeks to encourage innovation, mitigate financial risks, and unlock new revenue streams for Nigerian creators.The policy is a multi-ministerial collaboration involving the Ministries of Industry, Trade & Investment; Culture & Creative Economy; Justice; and Health & Social Welfare.

• The NCC Designated as a Relevant Organization Under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management)Act 2022

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) was officially designated as a “relevant organization” under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022 (POCA). This expands the NCC’s mandate beyond copyright enforcement to include the tracing, seizure, and management of proceeds derived from copyright and related intellectual property crimes. It positions the NCC within Nigeria’s broader asset recovery and anti-money laundering framework, allowing it to collaborate more effectively with agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC. 

Egypt

• Egypt Doubled its Patent Examination Fee

Egypt implemented a substantial patent examination fees doubled (from EGP 25,000 to 50,000). Also, the payment window which was previously 6 months was shortened to 3 months from notification effective Jun 18, 2025.

Ethiopia

• Ethiopia Acceded to the Paris Convention

Ethiopia acceded to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property on May 15, 2025, by depositing its instrument of accession with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The Convention entered into force for Ethiopia on August 15, 2025. This accession allows for priority rights in IP filings and ensures equal treatment for foreign applicants in Ethiopia, supporting innovation and global trade integration.

Libya

• Libya Transferred its Trademark Office to the Commercial Registry

A recent ministerial decision by the Libyan council of ministers transferred trademark office authority from the Ministry of Economy and Trade to the Commercial Registry. This has resulted in a temporary suspension of new trademark filings. Notably, any applications due during this period will not be forfeited but they will be automatically transferred and processed once operations resume. While the exact timeline remains uncertain, the transition is expected to last a few weeks.

Morocco

• Morocco collaborates with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

On 7th July 2025, Morocco took a significant step forward in protecting its cultural heritage by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The agreement was signed in Geneva by Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, and WIPO Director General Daren Tang. The MoU lays the foundation for deeper collaboration in copyright, neighboring rights, and notably, the legal protection of Morocco’s cultural heritage. It will give effect to new legal tools such as resale and reproduction rights via integration with WIPOCONNECT, WIPO’s digital platform for rights management and copyright administration.

Uganda

• Uganda Issued Trademark Renewal Deadline

On 11 July 2025, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) issued a notice that over 2,000 trademarks face permanent deletion , given the 60-day renewal window under the Trademarks Act, Cap 225 and the Trademarks Regulations, 2023. The renewal deadline is slated for 25 August 2025, after which unrenewed marks will be permanently removed from the register.However, as of now, there are no confirmed reports that any of these trademarks were actually removed or legally cancelled as URSB has not issued a follow-up notification confirming deletion.

• Uganda Enforces Power of Attorney (PoA) requirements for trademark extension requests.

As of June 2025, the Uganda Trademarks Office is strictly enforcing the requirement to submit a Power of Attorney (PoA) with all requests for extensions of time, according to a guidance notice from the Commissioner for Intellectual Property. This requirement, which has always been part of trademark law, was not previously applied in practice but is now crucial for any request for extension.

South Africa

• WIPO and South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) deepen their collaboration

In June 2025, WIPO formalized its collaboration with the South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) via a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement aims to deepen judicial capacity for IP adjudication, ensuring judges are better equipped to handle IP disputes. One notable activity is thT WIPO supported SAJEI’s Annual Judges Seminar in July 2025, featuring UK IP judge Justice James Mellor speaking on patent infringement litigation

• .Copyright Relief for visually impaired individuals

On 7th May 2025, the Constitutional Court of South Africa delivered a landmark ruling in Blind SA v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others [2025] ZACC 9. This judgment enabled the provision of accessible format shifting for persons with disabilities immediately, without needing the copyright owner’s permission, and explicitly allowing cross-border sharing of such accessible formats on a non-commercial basis.

• New Plant Breeders Rights Act now in force

The new South African Plant Breeders’ Rights Act No. 12 of 2018 officially came into operation on June 1, 2025, replacing the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act No. 15 of 1976. From June 13, 2025, all new applications for Plant Breeders’ Rights must be submitted in accordance with the provisions of the new Act.

Key changes include an extension of the protection period to 30 years for certain crops such as fruit trees, vines, sugar cane, and potatoes, and 25 years for all other crops from the date of registration. Additionally, the “sole right” period, during which no compulsory licenses can be granted, has been lengthened to 8 years for the specified crops and 5 years for all others.

Liberia

• Liberia to Publish Expired Trademark for Transparency

LIPO (Liberia Intellectual Property Office) announced that starting July 7, all unrenewed or unrestored trademarks will be officially published as “lapsed and formally removed” from the national register. This initiative is in line with the 2016 Intellectual Property Act and the Revised Administrative Trademark Regulation No. 001/tm/08/2018 and it is aimed to increase transparency and help businesses make well-informed decisions about potential conflicts or available marks.

Tanzania

• Mandatory Trademark Recordals in Tanzania

Tanzania is implementing a mandatory trademark recordal system for all imported goods effective December 1, 2025. This new requirement, administered by the Fair Competition Commission (FCC) under the Merchandise Marks Act, is designed to combat counterfeiting and must be complied with for smooth customs clearance. Failure to record trademarks could lead to delays or disruption of imports. These regulations only apply to Mainland Tanzania and do not cover Zanzibar, which has a separate legal and regulatory framework. Therefore, legal counsel must be admitted in both jurisdictions to assist with compliance.

• ZIPO hikes official IP fees, effective August 11, 2025

On July 18, 2025, the Zanzibar IP Office (ZIPO) published a notice via the Zanzibar Government Gazette announcing substantially revised official fees for IP services. These include fee increases ranging from 50% to 300%, across trademarks, patents, industrial designs, geographical indications, plus newly introduced fees for “associations” and opposition hearings. These changes take effect on August 11, 2025 and apply also to pending applications with unpaid fees.

Zambia

• Zambia mandates online trademarks filings