REGISTRATION PROCESS
Regional Bodies: ARIPO & OAPI
ARIPO — African Regional Intellectual Property Organization
ARIPO serves 22 English-speaking African countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Ghana, and others. A single ARIPO trademark application covers all member states simultaneously.
Cost: USD 300–700 per class (one application covers all designated member states) · Timeline: 12–18 months · Portal: aripo.org ↗
Note: Nigeria and South Africa are NOT ARIPO members — separate national applications required.
OAPI — Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle
OAPI covers 17 French-speaking African countries including Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Mali, and others. A single OAPI registration is valid in all 17 member states — there is no national trademark system in OAPI countries, only OAPI-level registration.
Cost: FCFA 400,000–700,000 per class (covers all 17 member states) · Timeline: 6–12 months · Portal: oapi.int ↗
Note: For OAPI countries, you MUST register through OAPI — national trademark offices do not exist for these countries.
Build, save and export this legal workflow
This workspace turns the brand protection route check result into a reusable matter note, dashboard item and gated PDF checklist. Use the app first, then save the evidence trail.
Evidence checked
Risk flags
What stronger tools teach this app
Benchmarked against LegalZoom, Firstbase, Stripe Atlas and registry portals. The goal is not to copy them; it is to bring the useful workflow pattern into an Africa-first tool with official-source caution and local evidence capture.
Observed feature pattern
- Guided formation flows collect facts once, then reuse them for filings, annual reminders, tax setup and registered-agent style tasks.
- The strongest products turn one filing into an operating calendar with renewal dates, evidence storage and next-step prompts.
- They make official portal verification visible so users can tell a government fee from an agent or bundled service fee.
Implemented on this app
- This page now asks for matter, country or regime, date, status, evidence and risk flags before the user exports a note.
- The app-specific checklist is not generic: it starts with "Search identical and confusingly similar marks before filing".
- Saved workflows can be resumed from the dashboard and handed off to IP Protection when the matter naturally continues.
- The PDF/export moment is a value-after-result gate, so users can still use the tool first and only share email when saving the report.
Best next move
- Whether national, ARIPO, OAPI or Madrid filing gives the cleanest coverage
- Search identical and confusingly similar marks before filing
- Registering only the logo when the word mark is the asset customers remember
Brand protection route check
Trademark strategy in Africa is route-specific. A national filing, ARIPO designation, OAPI filing, or Madrid extension can produce very different coverage and objection risk.
Decisions this clarifies
- Whether national, ARIPO, OAPI or Madrid filing gives the cleanest coverage
- Which Nice classes match the actual goods and services
- Whether the mark is distinctive enough before spending filing fees
Before you rely on it
- Search identical and confusingly similar marks before filing
- Map every country where you sell, manufacture, franchise, license or raise investment
- Keep first-use evidence, logo files, class descriptions and applicant details together
Red flags
- Registering only the logo when the word mark is the asset customers remember
- Selecting too many Nice classes without actual use or intent
- Assuming ARIPO and OAPI cover the same countries
Save the brand protection route check trail
Before filing, signing, publishing, or sending anything, keep a short record that links the app result to evidence and official-source checks.
Capture
Save the country or regime, parties, dates, amounts, selected options, and final output. Add why this matters: Whether national, ARIPO, OAPI or Madrid filing gives the cleanest coverage.
Attach
Search identical and confusingly similar marks before filing. Also keep the strongest supporting document, receipt, portal reference, ID, contract, policy, or court file beside the generated result.
Escalate
If you see this risk, pause and get qualified help: Registering only the logo when the word mark is the asset customers remember.
Trademark Registration in Africa — Key Facts
A registered trademark gives you exclusive rights to use your brand name, logo, or slogan for specified goods/services. Without registration, you can only rely on common law passing-off claims, which are harder to prove and enforce.
- Nice Classification: Trademarks are registered in one or more of 45 classes (1–34 goods, 35–45 services). You must identify the correct class(es) for your products/services
- First-to-file vs First-to-use: Most African countries are first-to-file jurisdictions — whoever files first gets the registration, even if another party used the mark first
- Trademark duration: 10 years from registration date, renewable indefinitely in 10-year increments
- Prior art search: Always conduct a clearance search before filing to ensure your mark is not already registered
- Opposition period: After examination, marks are published for opposition (typically 3 months). Any third party with prior rights can oppose
- Madrid Protocol: South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, Egypt, and others are party to the Madrid Protocol, allowing international trademark filing through WIPO