Africa Update 2020 – São Tomé and Príncipe
Registry Visit
Adams & Adams’ Mozambique partner, Elio Teixeira, travelled to São Tomé in São Tomé and Principe in November 2019 to meet with the Registrar of the National Intellectual Property and Quality Service (SENAPIQ), Mr. Domingos da Silva da Trindade. We were encouraged to learn of the Registry’s computerisation project, supported by WIPO, which seeks to create an electronic database of the Registry’s records. The aim is to complete the project within the first quarter of 2020. Completion of the project is set to improve the speed, accuracy and quality of registration certificates. The Registry now publishes journals quarterly, an improvement from the 3 editions published annually in the past.
KEY OPPORTUNITIES & CONCERNS
Opportunities
- Agriculturally-productive land is being well-managed for profitable exports
- Tourism sector has good growth potential
- Discoveries of offshore oil and natural gas reserves can start a local energy sector
Concerns
- Fluctuating commodity prices can destabilise the cocoa and coffee exports as well as future oil and gas exports
- Islands’ isolation off West Africa has made the country often invisible to business investors and tourists
- Poor rural infrastructure impedes economic and social growth
#AD OR #ATRISK? What the Arb's Influencer Ruling Means for Brand Owners
As consumers increasingly turn to social media for recommendations, influencer marketing has become one of the fastest-growing and most influential forms of advertising and one of the most valuable to...
August 13 2026
The Art of Choosing a Trade Mark
For many business owners, choosing a name for a new business venture is an exciting stage of building a brand. However, it is also one of the most important decisions you will make, as your trade name...
August 12 2026
Can You Recognise a Brand by Colour Alone? The Latest Instagram Trend Says Yes – But Trade Mark Law Isn't Quite So Simple
Instagram’s latest branding trend is simple: remove the logo, remove the name, and leave only colour swatches to choose from. Surprisingly, as it would appear from the comments and user engageme...
August 07 2026