The Gambia’s IP advocates push back against amendment undermining IP Office autonomy

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The Gambia’s IP advocates push back against amendment undermining IP Office autonomy

The Association for the Promotion of Intellectual Property – The Gambia (IPPA) is urging lawmakers to undo a recent change to the country’s draft Intellectual Property (IP) Bill, warning that the amendment strips the proposed Gambia Intellectual Property Office (GIPO) of its intended independence. In the updated 2025 version of the bill, GIPO is no longer envisioned as a semi-autonomous institution but instead as a department operating directly under the Ministry of Justice, removing the financial and administrative freedom contained in the 2023 draft.

According to the IPPA, this change undermines the comprehensive reform package planned for The Gambia’s IP system. The earlier proposal covered industrial property, copyright, geographical indications, plant breeders’ rights, traditional knowledge and genetic resources, and envisioned a specialised IP Tribunal to improve enforcement, reduce delays, and lower litigation costs. The reforms reflected lessons drawn from comparative visits to neighbouring Ghana and were designed to bring The Gambia in line with contemporary international standards.

The association notes that countries with semi-independent IP offices consistently perform better on innovation support and operational efficiency. Across the continent, similar models already exist, including Malawi’s Companies, Registrations and Intellectual Properties Centre, Liberia’s autonomous IP authority, and Botswana’s financially self-sustaining Companies and Intellectual Property Authority.

By calling for the amendment to be reversed, the IPPA is voicing broader unease within The Gambia’s IP community. Many stakeholders fear that the revised structure could slow innovation, weaken IP enforcement mechanisms, and make it harder for the country to keep pace with modern governance practices in the global IP landscape.

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