Amendments include official fee increases and streamlined procedures, affecting new and pending applications as well as existing registrations.

The new edition updates the classification of goods and services, reassigning certain products and services to different classes compared to previous editions.

The outdated 1958 Trade Marks Act is replaced with a modern, internationally aligned framework for trade mark protection and administration.

The system covers all crops and species and enables breeders to submit plant variety protection applications digitally.

The new legislation is expected to enhance transparency, improve efficiency, and support innovation in the country’s agricultural sector.

Uncertified copies can be obtained via the online portal, and certified copies may be requested electronically upon payment of the prescribed fees.

The online filing platform enables users to file patent, industrial design, and utility model applications and make payments electronically.

While the transfer of data from Port Sudan remains the main obstacle, operations are expected to normalise in the first part of this year.

The revised tariffs affect both new filings and ongoing portfolio maintenance, including renewals and certain post-registration procedures.

Major patent and design law reform bills are to be presented to the Parliament soon with public discussion expected in early 2026.

Manual filings are allowed for actions that the portal cannot currently process, including trade mark amendments and appeals against trade mark applications.

The Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority has increased certain patent fees and introduced new service fees for patents, plant varieties, and copyrights.

Mandatory recordals for all goods imported into Mainland Tanzania will take effect on 1 December.

Trade marks registered via the Banjul Protocol under the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) are not legally recognised or enforceable in Tanzania.

The purpose of OAPI LEX is to streamline access to IP rulings, legislation, and legal insights – enhancing transparency and consistency across Francophone Africa.

The High Court of South Africa ruled that Africo Solar infringed three registered industrial designs for solar panel brackets, and that the applicant was entitled to relief.

The amendments took effect on 11 August introducing official fee hikes ranging from 50% to 300% across key IP categories.

Applicants are now allowed to submit their applications directly to ARIPO via a unified digital interface.

Ethiopia's accession takes effect on 15 August 2025, marking a major step in the country's IP system modernisation.

The Libyan IPO issued a circular clarifying a procedural distinction between the expiry and cancellation of a trade mark registration.

From 27 August 2025, Mauritius may be designated in ARIPO applications covering patents, utility models, and industrial designs.

As of 18 June 2025, official patent examination fees doubled and the payment deadline was shortened to three months.

Nigeria has recently joined the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) as its 80th member.

The Libyan Trade Mark Office has temporarily suspended the processing of new trade mark applications, with effect from 5 March 2025 to 10 April 2025.

The new official fees for certain patent and design services will come into force on 1 March 2025, affecting both new and existing applications.

The changes include an increase in official fees and additional procedural complexities.

The Treaty includes provisions specifically related to indigenous peoples and local communities.

Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers approved the country’s accession to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.

The Libyan Trade Mark Office resumed accepting new trade mark applications on 2 September 2024.

The African Intellectual Property Organization launched its trademark e-filing system on 3 June 2024.

The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization and the Chinese Intellectual Property Office launched a joint Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program on 8 June 2024.

On 17 January 2024, Resolution No. 26 of 2024 entered into force in Libya, implementing a new executive regulation regarding Law No. 23 of 2010 on Trademarks.