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Gabon is reinforcing trade name protection through targeted enforcement measures
OGAPI INTENSIFIES TRADE NAME ENFORCEMENT IN NKOK ZONE
From 1 to 10 April 2026, the Gabonese Industrial Property Office (OGAPI) carried out a compliance and awareness campaign in the Nkok Special Investment Zone, covering nearly 28 businesses and focusing on the legal availability and conformity of trade names in use.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to curb unfair competition, commercial identity theft and counterfeiting, with OGAPI noting that unregistered trade names expose businesses to legal and reputational risk.
Under Gabonese law, trade name and trade mark registration with OGAPI is mandatory, conferring exclusive rights and legal certainty across all 17 OAPI member states for a renewable ten year period, and supporting a more secure and competitive business environment.
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