OAPI
The African Intellectual Property Organization known under the acronym OAPI for its French name, Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle, is the main organization that ensures the protection of intellectual property rights in most African French speaking countries.
OAPI was created on March 2, 1977 under the Bangui Agreement to introduce a uniform law on intellectual property and to create a common industrial property office in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
MEMBER STATES
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Togo.
Trade and service marks are registrable are those classes defined in the 10thEdition of the Nice international classification, the law allows for multi-class filling up to three classes in either product class 1-34 of the Nice classification or 35-45 of the same, an applicant is required to pay additional fees for extra classes.
TRADEMARK REGISTRATION PREREQUISITES
- Trademark search
- Initial application
- Substantive examination
- Publication
- Issuance of certificate
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
New Applications
- Power of Attorney, simply signed
- Ten prints, even for word marks in ordinary type
- Priority document (if applicable), with verified French or English translation
Renewals
- Power of attorney, simply signed
- Simple copy of last Certificate of Renewal or Registration Certificate (if applicable)
Change of Name
- Power of Attorney, simply signed
- Certificate of Change of Name, with verified French or English translation
Change of Address
- Power of Attorney, simply signed
It should be taken into consideration that trademarks filed under OAPI and duly registered, are valid for a period of ten (10) years, its validity counts from the date of filling.