The Gambia’s IP Advocates Push Back Against Amendment Undermining IP Office Autonomy

The Association for the Promotion of Intellectual Property – The Gambia (IPPA) is urging lawmakers to undo a recent change to the country’s draft Intellectual Property (IP) Bill, warning that the amendment strips the proposed Gambia Intellectual Property Office (GIPO) of its intended independence. In the updated 2025 version of the bill, GIPO is no longer envisioned as a semi-autonomous institution but instead as a department operating directly under the Ministry of Justice, removing the financial and administrative freedom contained in the 2023 draft.

According to the IPPA, this change undermines the comprehensive reform package planned for The Gambia’s IP system. The earlier proposal covered industrial property, copyright, geographical indications, plant breeders’ rights, traditional knowledge and genetic resources, and envisioned a specialised IP Tribunal to improve enforcement, reduce delays, and lower litigation costs. The reforms reflected lessons drawn from comparative visits