Prosecution

Over the years, concrete efforts have been made to develop Nigeria's indigenous IP regime. The earliest attempt at developing Nigeria’s IP dates to post-independence Nigeria. However, these various attempts have not been fruitful as Nigeria has failed to fully exploit the benefits that could be accrued from proper management and protection of Intellectual Property Rights in the country. The current economic and trade conditions in the world is susceptible to change, therefore requiring constant improvement to ensure economic development.

This study aims to display some information regarding the activity of filing patent applications before the Angolan National Patent Office (IAPI), presenting a profile of the main patent applicants and the kinds of technologies for which the applicants seek patent protection in Angola.

Due to their geographical proximity and the fact that they share a common border of 493km, the economic and human relations between Mozambique and South Africa date back a long way.

In Portugal, in the year 2020, the Portuguese IP Office (INPI) received 20.105 national Trademark applications, representing an increase of 1,9% when compared to 2019.

Concerning national patents, 391 applications were filed, which generated an increase of 72,2%, the highest in the last 10 years.

On the other hand, national Design applications stood at 257 cases, decreasing 4,1% when compared to the previous year. 

São Tomé and Príncipe is an island country located on the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. The country consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, respectively. The official language is Portuguese due to the Portuguese occupation that lasted until the country’s independence from Portugal in 1975.

The country has more than 200,000 inhabitants and is considered a paradise by many, yet it remains relatively unexplored by the tourism industry.

Global data analysis

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. Once a low-income country with an agriculture-based economy, it now has a high income that is centred on tourism, financial services and the trade of textiles and sugar cane. The Financial Times referred to Mauritius as “the island nation (that) aims to reinvent itself as a hub for global investors in Africa, with both China and India as its key partners”.

The registration of trademarks in Mozambique is possible through three different procedures. The first is a national filing directly alongside the Industrial Property Institute (IPI), the second is via the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) (in force since August 15, 2020, after Mozambique joined the Banjul Protocol), and finally, with a registration at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as Mozambique is member of the Madrid System.

In a special edition of the Industrial Property Journal, the Industrial Property Institute of Kenya (KIPI) has stated that as of 15 February 2021 it will now publicly notify trademark owners that have not filed a renewal application for their marks but have been notified of the expiry date. What is more, KIPI has listed more than 2,400 expired marks, which it intends to remove from the trademark register.

Sudan is the third largest country on the African continent and the Nile river traverses the country from South to North, while the Red Sea makes Sudan a bridge between Africa and the Middle East.

Endowed with rich natural resources, Sudan was considered the 17th fastest-growing economy in the world in 2010 given the rapid development of the country largely from oil profits, despite international sanctions.

Inspired by Article 6 quinquies of the Paris Convention, Annex 3, Article 3(c) of the Bangui Agreement provides that a trademark cannot be registered if “it is contrary to public policy, morality or the law”. The legal concept of good morals is present in almost all WIPO members’ trademark legislation. In particular, morality comes into play when trademark applicants – whether deliberately or not – apply to register controversial marks (ie, marks that contain insulting, sexually connotative, racist or religious or culturally offensive words or images).