After a break in the online operations at the Zimbabwean Registry, it is now back to business as usual with the Registry's Industrial Property Automated System (IPAS) being back up and running since 7 May 2021.

The World Intellectual Property Organization and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization convened their annual Regional Technology and Innovation Support Centre Network Meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, bringing together stakeholders to discuss the strategic role of patent information in driving research, technology transfer, and industrial development across the ARIPO region. The meeting emphasized strengthening national innovation ecosystems and supporting the commercialization of technological

In October 2021, the Industrial Property Automated System (IPAS) crashed, and this caused a devastating ripple effect on all matters at the Registry. The IPAS system has now been replaced and is now fully functional.

Although the Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office (ZIPO) has welcomed the fact that its Industrial Property Automated System (IPAS) is up and running again...

The Ghanaian Parliament is readying itself to introduce a raft of new bills intended to strengthen Ghana's financial sector, reform key aspects of the country's legal and governance systems, and promote investment.

On 25 September 2020, the Republic of Mauritius deposited its Instrument of Accession to the Lusaka Agreement with the Director General of ARIPO.

The Casablanca Trade Court has issued what appears to be Africa's first standard essential patent ruling, interdicting two Transsion Holdings subsidiaries from selling 4G and 5G smartphones that infringe Ericsson...

In South Africa, the health sector (public and private) is a ‘famous' Defendant in our courts as the government, hospitals and/or doctors are often sued for medical negligence by the members of...

MIP podcast – The Trade Dress Code: Protection and Stopping Imitation

A recent local survey conducted by the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO), found that "60% of South African universities were not empowered to commercialise their IP through spinoffs...

On 20 May 2021, the South African Patents Court confirmed the rights of a patentee in interim interdict proceedings in circumstances where the patent claim included a non-essential integer.

Against the backdrop of Africa's significantly low levels of intra-jurisdiction trade, the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) have been acknowledged across the continent

In part of its ongoing clampdown on content piracy, South African broadcasting company MultiChoice has announced the arrest of two suspects associated with the Waka TV video streaming piracy operation.

The Fair Competition Commission in Tanzania has issued a significant clarification regarding trade mark recordal applications, establishing that only Tanzanian national registrations will be accepted as valid basis for recordals.

The Tunisian Organization for Copyright and Related Rights (OTDAV) organized the "Tunisian Days of Copyright and Neighboring Rights", which was held on the 4th and 5th of June.

During March 2026, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) hosted a consultative forum with shea butter producers hailing from the West Nile region, including Gulu, Lango and Teso.

Uganda's Parliament has passed the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025, marking a significant milestone for the country's creative industry. The reforms aim to modernize intellectual property laws by improving royalty collection, enforcement mechanisms, and penalties to align with international treaties. This legislative victory has been celebrated as a major advancement for Africa's creative economy.

Kenya has published the Copyright and Related Rights Bill, 2026, representing the first comprehensive reform of its copyright legislation in over two decades. The proposed framework introduces modern provisions for digital-age challenges including AI-generated works, online enforcement mechanisms, and enhanced protections for creators and performers.

Kenya is poised to transform its intellectual property landscape through the consolidation of three separate regulatory bodies into a single unified authority. The Kenya Intellectual Property Bill 2026 proposes sweeping reforms that would streamline IP administration, establish a specialized tribunal, and create comprehensive oversight of patents, trademarks, copyright, and anti-counterfeiting measures under one roof.

Can Plant Variety Protection (PVP) be a catalyst for food security and sustainable agriculture in Africa? ARIPO, together with various stakeholders, including plant breeders, academics and legal experts...