Trade mark registration in Africa
National filings, OAPI, ARIPO and Madrid – which route reaches which country, indicative costs per mark, and why the timing question has no single answer.
There is no African trade mark. There are two regional systems, a patchwork of national offices, and a handful of countries reachable through Madrid – and the right route for a brand depends on where it will actually be sold. We file across the continent through an established agent network and manage the portfolio from one place.
The short answer
- Three routes: a national filing in each country, an OAPI filing covering seventeen states at once, or an ARIPO filing designating the member states you choose.
- South Africa is a separate national filing – it is in neither regional system and not in Madrid.
- Timings vary widely by office, from about a year to several. We quote a realistic range per country.
- Costs are indicative until we confirm the agent’s current charges. Figures below are per mark, per class.
The three routes
| Route | Covers | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| National filing | One country per application | The only route for South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Angola and most of the larger markets. Each office has its own procedure and pace. |
| OAPI | Seventeen states in one filing: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo | A single registration with effect in all member states; there is no national route in these countries. OAPI is also reachable through Madrid. |
| ARIPO | Designate the member states you want in one application | Not every member state has fully implemented the protocol domestically, so for some designations a parallel national filing is the safer course. We advise which. |
| Madrid designation | The African countries that are members | Efficient where available. South Africa and Nigeria are not members. |
Indicative costs, per mark per class
Rand figures are indicative and include our agent’s professional fees and the official fees; USD is a rounded conversion. They change with exchange rates and agents’ charges. Confirm before instructing.
| Country or system | ZAR | USD |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa (national) | R2,990 | 200 |
| OAPI (17 states) | from R22,000 | 1,200 |
| ARIPO, all states designated | from R60,000 | 3,200 |
| Nigeria | from R27,000 | 1,450 |
| Kenya | from R22,000 | 1,150 |
| Angola | from R21,000 | 1,100 |
| Zambia | from R20,000 | 1,100 |
| Botswana | from R18,000 | 1,000 |
| Mauritius | from R18,000 | 900 |
| Tanzania | from R15,000 | 700 |
| Namibia | from R12,000 | 650 |
Designating fewer ARIPO states reduces the cost. Other countries on request.
How long it takes
Honestly: it depends on the office. Some register within a year; several run backlogs of years, and a handful publish no reliable timeframe at all. What is consistent is that protection, once granted, generally runs from the filing date – so filing early costs nothing in priority even where the office is slow. When you instruct, we give a realistic range for each country based on our agents’ current experience rather than a published figure.
What we need from you
- The mark, as text or an image file.
- The countries, or the markets you will sell in – we suggest the route.
- The goods or services, or a link to the range.
- The applicant’s name and address. Some offices need a certified extract or a legalised power of attorney; we tell you where.
- Any earlier filing you want to claim priority from, within six months.
Africa is where the paperwork varies most. Powers of attorney may need notarisation or legalisation in some countries and a simple signature in others; some offices require use to maintain a registration and some do not. We keep the requirements per country and tell you at the start what each filing will need.
Frequently asked questions
Can one application cover the whole of Africa?
No. There is no continent-wide registration. Two regional systems cover groups of countries – OAPI for seventeen mainly francophone states, and ARIPO for a group of anglophone states – and everywhere else is a national filing. Most African portfolios are a mix of all three.
Is South Africa covered by OAPI or ARIPO?
No. South Africa is in neither system and is not a Madrid member. It is always a separate national filing.
Does the Madrid system reach African countries?
Several African countries and OAPI as a bloc are Madrid members, and a designation can be an efficient route to them. Others – including South Africa and Nigeria – are not, and need a national filing. We advise route by route.
How long does registration take in Africa?
It varies widely between offices, from a year or so to several years where an office has a backlog. We quote a realistic range for each country when you instruct, rather than a single figure for the continent.
What does it cost?
Indicatively from about R12,000 per mark per class for a single national filing, up to about R60,000 for an ARIPO application designating every member state. The table above gives indicative figures; agents’ charges and exchange rates move, so we confirm before instructing.
Related guides
- How CIPC registration works (and the DIY route)
- What trade mark registration really costs
- Recordals: assignments, licences and changes
- Trade mark renewal: dates, costs and the grace period
- Filing in South Africa from abroad
Written and reviewed by
Stephan Viollier – Trade Mark & IP Attorney, SAIIPL-certified, admitted in South Africa and the United States (New York)
This page explains South African trade mark practice in general terms. It is information, not legal advice on your particular mark – for that, talk to us.
