In order to facilitate and reduce the prices of patent processing in the Francophone African countries, there is an international treaty ratified by the following 16 states:

  • Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, Cameroon, Mauritania, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Congo, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Gabon, Chad, Guinea, Togo.

Main features of OAPI Patent registration

Patents prosecution by this treaty is managed by the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) who is responsible for receiving the application, doing a substantive and formal examination and its granting or denial.

The African Intellectual Property Organization distinguishes two types of inventions: 

  • The product invention: a physical object that is distinguished by the characteristics of its constitution, including its composition, structure or form.
  • The procedure invention: any method, factor or agent that leads to the achievement of a result or product.

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Therefore, using the African Intellectual Property Organization to provide protection for an invention in these areas implies the unification of processing and consequently the process is easier and costs are reduced.

It is worth noting that patents processed in OAPI are subject to annuity payments from the 2nd year of the application. 

You can also search on our search engine: WORLDWIDE PATENT REGISTRATION

Protectia registers, monitors and defends patents worldwide. Here we show an overview of the processing in each of the countries of the world. Search for the country of your interest and if you can not find it, contact us and we will provide you all the information.

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