New Managing Director at the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) Appointed
With effect from 26 January 2024, Mr John Onyango, was appointed as the new Managing Director of KIPI for a 3 year term. This permanent appointment follows a long stint as the Acting Managing Director from 1 December 2019 – 31 May 2023. From 1 June 2023 – 25 January 2024, Ms Norah Ratemo was appointed as the new Acting Managing Director of KIPI, ostensibly to supervise the recruitment of a permanently appointed Managing Director. Before the appointment of Mr Onyango, the last permanently appointed MD of KIPI was Mr Slyvance Sange who held the post from 31 May 2014 to 30 November 2019 before being replaced by Mr Onyango who was the Deputy Managing Director at the time.
Notably, during his tenure as Acting Managing Director, Mr Onyango, together with the KIPI’s Board of Directors, was responsible for increasing the number of examiners in the patent and trade marks sections at KIPI. The effect of this initiative has led to the expedited processing of applications and advanced the procedural efficiencies within the Registry.
We will keenly observe the developments at KIPI with the implementation of its strategic plan for the 2023-2028 period which was drafted during Mr Onyango’s tenure as Acting MD.

ARIPO – increase in official fees and amendments to Harare Protocol and Regulations to come into effect 1 March 2025
In a notice signed by the Director General of ARIPO, Bemanya Twebaze dated 31 January 2025, ARIPO announced that amendments to the Harare Protocol and Regulations will come into effect on 1 March 2025...
February 10 2025

OAPI - New Official Fees for Patents and Utility Models
As part of the implementation of Annex I of the revised Bangui Agreement, OAPI has published new official fees which apply to all patent and utility model applications fled after 1 January 2025. This ...
February 05 2025

Libya – Trade Mark Update
The Ministry of Economy in Libya recently issued a decree outlining updated requirements for trade mark renewals. Upon renewal, trade mark proprietors are now required to submit a financial statement ...
January 22 2025