Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 24 FEBRUARY 2026

Zambia Ushers In A New Era With Its Modernised Trade Marks Act

Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Contributor
Adams & Adams

Adams & Adams

Who we are: Established in 1908, Adams & Adams is an internationally recognised and leading African...

View firm profile
Explore more from Adams & Adams

Zambia has entered 2026 with a major structural overhaul of its trade mark legislation. The Trade Marks Act No. 11 of 2023, effective 31 December 2025, replaces the decades‑old 1958 Act.

ZambiaIntellectual Property
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Author LinkedIn connections

Important Topics

Zambia has enacted the Trade Marks Act No. 11 of 2023, fully replacing the country's 1958 Act.

Zambia Ushers in a New Era with Its Modernised Trade Marks Act

Zambia has entered 2026 with a major structural overhaul of its trade mark legislation. The Trade Marks Act No. 11 of 2023, effective 31 December 2025, replaces the decades‑old 1958 Act. The modernised statute introduces:

  • Registration of service marks (previously not possible)
  • 10-year trade mark registration periods (previously only valid for 7 years)
  • Multi-class applications
  • Domestic Implementation of the Madrid Protocol
  • Protection for well-known marks and strengthened trade mark enforcement mechanisms.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Frozen Accounts And Fraudulent Funds: Navigating The Rights Of Banks, Customers And SARS

A South African High Court has ruled on the lawfulness of account freezing by banks based on fraud suspicions and affirmed SARS's authority to issue third-party notices under section 179 of the Tax Administration Act. The case arose after a close corporation fraudulently claimed a VAT refund of R3.28 million, transferred R900,000 to an individual's account, prompting the bank to freeze the account and SARS to pursue recovery through a third-party notice.
South AfricaTax
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Article

Nigeria Clarifies Copyright Ownership Of Musical Works

A Nigerian Federal High Court has ruled on a high-stakes copyright dispute over the globally acclaimed gospel song "Way Maker," examining whether a music producer's technical contributions to a recording constitute co-authorship. The judgment clarifies the critical distinction between creative authorship and production services in determining copyright ownership. This decision carries significant implications for how the music industry documents and allocates rights between artists and technical contributor
NigeriaIntellectual Property
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Article

Constitutional Court Delivers Landmark But Incomplete Copyright Ruling. Parliament Must Now Seize The Opportunity To Modernise South Africa’s Copyright Law For The AI Era

South Africa's Constitutional Court has delivered a landmark ruling on the Copyright Amendment Bill, upholding the controversial shift to 'fair use' while striking down broad educational exceptions for textbook copying. The judgment leaves critical questions unresolved about contract terms, ministerial powers, and the Bill's complete silence on generative AI—creating both constraints and opportunities as Parliament must now revisit legislation conceived over a decade ago.
South AfricaIntellectual Property
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams
Article

Tanzania Strengthens IP Protection Through Legislative Reforms

Tanzania has enacted sweeping reforms to its intellectual property framework through the Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2026, formally recognizing ARIPO registrations and introducing protection for collective marks, certification marks, and well-known trade marks. The amendments provide retrospective recognition of ARIPO trade mark, patent and design registrations dating back to 1999, while expanding the scope of registrable marks to include non-traditional forms such as 3D marks, colours, and
TanzaniaIntellectual Property
Adams & Adams
Adams & Adams