Author Archives: admin.adams

At a press briefing in Abuja, the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy announced the launch of a two hundred million US dollar Creative Economy Development Fund, as well as three hundred million US dollar in investment commitments. The Fund, which is to be managed by AfreximBank, is intended to provide financing for […]

The manager of a cellphone accessory shop in Gqeberha was fined R 87 000 (around 4900 USD) for selling counterfeit mobile phone products. The manager pleaded guilty to charges under the Counterfeit Goods Act and the Trademarks Act, after a search at the store uncovered over a hundred counterfeit items. The items included adapters, car […]

The African Organization for Intellectual Property (OAPI) and the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) have launched an ambitious initiative to finance a thousand innovative projects across several African countries by 2030. The partnership includes a large capital investment by OAPI in the AGF, as well as a guarantee window covering up to 75% of loan risks […]

At an event in Abuja, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and representatives from the Nigerian movie industry formed a united front on the issue of digital piracy. The event, which marked the launch of a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)-supported project to develop strategies and tools to tackle online copyright piracy in the African digital […]

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has confiscated pirated works worth more than 250 000 USD over a seven-month period, from October 2024 to May 2025. This was disclosed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, at a stakeholder event in Abuja. The NCC reportedly conducted 120 monitoring, documentation, […]

On 27 May 2025, the Republic of Mauritius deposited its Instrument of Accession to the Harare Protocol on Patents, Utility Models, and Industrial Designs, becoming the 21st ARIPO Member State. The accession will take effect on 27 August 2025, after which ARIPO patent and design applications can be extended to ARIPO. Joining ARIPO is a […]

The last month has seen multiple countries on the African continent leading the charge against copyright infringers and content pirates. This includes announcements by the Commerce Ministry in Liberia, as well as the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Ethiopia between MultiChoice® Africa, the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Sport (MOCS), as well […]

In a statement, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry warned Liberian businesses against the unauthorised commercial use of copyrighted works. In doing so, the Ministry cited widespread violations of the country’s Intellectual Property Act and emphasised that suitable licences must be obtained before making use of any copyrighted works. To reinforce Liberia’s commitment to its […]

Kenya’s Inventor Assistance Program (IAP) is beginning to show results, with nineteen applications submitted since its launch in 2023. The program, initiated by the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), aims to connect inventors and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with patent specialists who offer free support. […]

In a case that presumably shocked myrmecologists and the hobby ant husbandry community, two Belgian nationals were sentenced to a fine of over seven thousand five hundred US dollar or a year in prison each, for the attempted smuggling of around five thousand ant queens from Nakuru, Kenya. The pair were charged in terms of […]