Secretariat of the African Continental Free Exchange Zone visits OAPI
On 2 and 3 May 2024, the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Exchange Zone (ZLECAF) visited OAPI’s offices in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
The meeting between Mr. Desire Loumou, Head of the Intellectual Property Rights Division and Fikremarkos Merso, expert in Intellectual Property rights and the General Management of OAPI, was to facilitate initiating constructive dialogues to stimulate innovation and to consider institutional harmonization of intellectual property in the OAPI member states.
The meeting flows from the African Union’s mandate to the ZLECAF Secretariat to seek the expertise of the African regional intellectual property offices to aid protection of IP rights, given the value of IP rights as a national resource.
Côte d’Ivoire advances protection and recognition of its shea butter
Côte d’Ivoire is taking further steps to enhance the recognition and commercial value of its shea butter. On 27 August 2026, the National Committee for Geographical Indications and Collective Marks...
September 15 2026
OAPI rejects AFP opposition against AFO + Logo
In a decision dated 19 May 2026, OAPI rejected Agence France-Presse (AFP)’s opposition against the “AFO + Logo” mark, which was opposed on the basis of AFP’s earlier “AFP + Logo” mark. Alt...
September 15 2026
Historic Registration: Madd de Casamance and Penja Pepper Enter the Lisbon System
On 20 August 2026, Senegal’s Madd from Casamance and Cameroon’s Penja Pepper received their international registration certificates at the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organizat...
September 15 2026