News & Insights
MCSN receives ₦1.2bn copyright levy to support Nigerian musicians
Important Topics MCSN receives ₦1.2bn copyright levy to support Nigerian musicians Nigeria’s music community marked a milestone as the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) confirmed the receipt of ₦1.2 billion from the country’s newly activated Copyright Levy. The payment (totalling ₦1,205,956,580.20) is the first operational use of the levy that has existed in law for […]
March 17 2026
Notification of Mozambique’s ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty
Important Topics Notification of Mozambique’s ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced that the Republic of Mozambique deposited its instrument of ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty on 27 January 2026. The Treaty, adopted in Marrakesh on 27 June 2013, is intended to expand access to published works for persons who […]
March 17 2026
Libya tightens trade mark procedures and imposes new agent standards
Important Topics Libya tightens trade mark procedures and imposes new agent standards Libya’s Trade Mark Office has introduced several procedural reforms that directly affect how brand protection is managed in the country. One of the key developments is the suspension of trade mark re‑filings. Rights holders may no longer submit a fresh application for the […]
March 17 2026
IP protection takes centre stage in Kenya-US trade talks
Important Topics IP protection takes centre stage in Kenya-US trade talks Kenya and the United States (US) have wrapped up an initial round of talks aimed at developing a new Reciprocal Trade Framework, with intellectual property (IP) protection featuring prominently on the agenda. The three-day meeting in Washington, DC, focused on how the two countries […]
March 17 2026
AU summit adopts eight Annexes to the AfCFTA IP Protocol
Important Topics AU summit adopts eight Annexes to the AfCFTA IP Protocol At the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Addis Ababa this past February, heads of state adopted eight key Annexes to the AfCFTA Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), which was considered a transformative step towards a unified African […]
March 17 2026
A significant judgment on Claims-Made Professional Indemnity Policies and late notification
Facts The Plaintiffs operated restaurant businesses and appointed the Defendant, an insurance broker, to procure commercial insurance on their behalf. On 4 June 2019, the Defendant procured policies from Renasa Insurance Company Ltd, but these critically did not include an extended business interruption clause covering losses from infectious disease outbreaks. When COVID-19 struck, the Plaintiffs […]
March 13 2026
When Can an Estate Agent Be Held Liable for Latent Defects in Immovable Property?
Claims against estate agents for latent defects discovered after the purchase of immovable property are frequently pursued without a full appreciation of the legal requirements that must be satisfied for success. One requirement in particular is often overlooked: the estate agent’s duty of disclosure extends only to material facts within their personal knowledge, and there […]
March 12 2026
When Is Emotional Distress Sufficient to Ground a Claim for Damages?
Claims for damages arising from emotional shock are often pursued without a full appreciation of the legal requirements that must be satisfied for success. One requirement in particular is frequently overlooked: the plaintiff must prove, through expert psychiatric evidence, that they have suffered a detectable psychiatric injury as opposed to mere emotional distress. The recent […]
March 09 2026
Trade Marks for Side Hustles: When to Spend and When to Wait
Side hustles usually begin quietly. They are the kinds of small, informal businesses people build alongside their main job or studies, often beginning with a simple concept and a name you quickly settle on before setting up an Instagram account to share your first products with people who already know you. At that stage, spending […]
March 09 2026
Beyond the Certificate: What a Trade Mark Gives You and How Its Value Is Calculated
Securing a trade mark registration feels like a turning point for any business. It signifies the moment your brand moves from being just an idea to being an asset recognised by law. Even so, many owners are left wondering what the practical implications are. Apart from the statutory recognition it provides, a trade mark holds […]
March 06 2026
“Positive” for seven years: the human cost of an HIV misdiagnosis
Background The High Court of Uganda, sitting at Jinja, delivered a noteworthy judgment in an HIV misdiagnosis and medical negligence case on 18 February 2026. Facts In July 2016, the Plaintiff attended the Defendant’s facility for HIV testing and was diagnosed as HIV positive. He was immediately enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ARVs), which he took […]
March 03 2026
Protecting Your IP When Every Meeting Is Recorded
As AI powered meeting tools become increasingly common, businesses are beginning to rely on AI agents to record, transcribe, and summarise discussions. AI tools represent a significant opportunity to protect, manage, and create value in know-how which traditionally has not been recorded in meetings. However, such use also raises serious concerns about the protection of […]
March 03 2026
Compulsory Mediation in the Gauteng Division: A 10-month Implementation Review
10-Months into Operation Ten months have passed since the Judge President of the Gauteng Division of the High Court introduced a directive making mediation compulsory before the allocation and retention of civil trial dates. The main objective of the directive was to address the severe backlog in the civil trial roll and to restore the […]
February 27 2026
Copyright meets Insurance Coverage: insurance protection in the Age of Intellectual Property risk – Lessons from the US judgment
Background This piece pertains to a recent matter that was heard in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The judgment was delivered on 10 February 2026. Facts The Plaintiff, a real estate agency, was engaged principally in the brokering of residential real estate. It purchased a Real Estate Agents Errors and […]
February 27 2026
When Does a Business Rescue Practitioner Become Personally Liable for a Company's Debts?
In the realm of business rescue, where financially distressed companies are given an opportunity for rehabilitation, a critical question arises: when does the conduct of a business rescue practitioner cross the threshold from mere error or misjudgement into personal liability for the company’s debts? The recent Supreme Court of Appeal judgement in Africa Agriculture and […]
February 26 2026
Leading African law firm Adams & Adams announces new leadership team
26 Feb 2026, Pretoria Leading African law firm, Adams & Adams has announced the election of its new leadership team under a refreshed management structure championed by outgoing chairperson Kelly Thompson. Dispute resolution partner Jac Marais assumes the role of chairperson from 1 March 2026 for a four-year term. Under his leadership of the commercial, […]
February 26 2026
Can a Professional Evade Accountability by Cancelling Their Registration?
In an age where professional accountability is paramount to public protection, a pressing question emerges: can a registered professional escape disciplinary proceedings simply by cancelling their registration? The recent case of Pienaar v Engineering Council of South Africa and Others provides a definitive answer to this question, examining the interplay between voluntary deregistration and ongoing […]
February 24 2026
THE DESTRUCTION OF COUNTERFEIT GOODS AND SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
The global trade in counterfeit goods continues to pose substantial risks to economies, consumers, and the environment. While discussions on counterfeiting often focus on intellectual property infringement and market distortion, an equally pressing concern is the environmental impact associated with destroying counterfeit products. International bodies such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the World […]
February 18 2026