Rwanda has enacted a new law on intellectual property, Law
n° 055/2024 of 20/06/2024 on the Protection of Intellectual
Property, which came into force on 31st July 2024 (the
"New IP Law"), replacing the previous
Law n° 31/2009 of 26/10/2009 on the protection of intellectual
property as amended by the law n° 50/2018 of 13/08/2018 on the
protection of intellectual property (The "Repealed IP
Law").
The New IP Law overhauls the country's intellectual property
framework, enhances the protection of intellectual property, and
aligns Rwanda's IP regime with international standards.
It also introduces several key changes that stakeholders,
including businesses, legal practitioners, and creators need to be
aware of, which are detailed below:
