The most effective way to secure trademark coverage across Africa is through a SANi+ trademark.
A SANi+ trademark secures trademark protection in up to 32 African countries with a combined:
| Countries | South Africa and Nigeria |
| Search | Free cursory search (without opinion) through South African and Nigerian trademarks offices' records performed before filing |
| Multi-class | No |
| Classification | 12th Edition (12-2023), of the Nice Classification of Goods and Services |
| Examination | Both formal and substantive examination. South Africa: the trademark is open to opposition for 3 months after publication Nigeria: the trademark is open to opposition for 2 months after publication |
| Time to grant | About 2 years |
| Certificate format | South Africa: electronic Nigeria: paper |
| GDP | $861 billion |
| Population | 271 million |
| Countries | Select one or more of 13 member States: Botswana, Cape Verde, Kingdom of Eswatini, The Gambia, Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe |
| Examination | ARIPO performs formal examination, whereafter each selected State conducts its own substantive examination. If a selected State raises an office action, the applicant will need to engage an attorney in the selected State directly and respond thereto |
| Multi-class | Yes |
| Classification | 12th Edition (12-2023), of the Nice Classification of Goods and Services. However, member States may apply earlier editions of the Nice classification. For example, Zimbabwe (which applied the 8th edition) requires "cereals" in class 30 to be qualified as "cereals (for human consumption)" to separate it from "cereals (for animal consumption)", which falls in class 31. Limit specification of goods / services to 50 words, else surcharge of $5 per word applies |
| Time to grant | About 14 months, whereafter selected States conduct substantive examination |
| Certificate format | Both paper and electronic certificates |
| GDP | $210 billion (if all 13 States are selected) |
| Population | 192 million (if all 13 States are selected) |
| Countries | Automatically includes all 17 member States: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Comoros, the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, the Niger, Senegal and Togo |
| Examination | Only formal examination. No substantive examination. The trademark is open to opposition for 3 months after publication |
| Multi-class | Yes |
| Classification | 12th Edition (12-2023), of the Nice Classification of Goods and Services |
| Time to grant | 6-12 months |
| Certificate format | Electronic certificate, followed by a paper certificate |
| GDP | $307 billion |
| Population | 212 million |
| Cost (1st class) | Cost (each additional class) | |
|---|---|---|
| SANi | $999 | $849 |
| SANi+ARIPO | $2,653 (7 ARIPO countries) $2,935 (9 ARIPO countries) $3,535 (13 ARIPO countries) ARIPO surcharge where specification of goods / services is more than 50 words: $5 per word |
$1,309 (7 ARIPO countries) $1,429 (9 ARIPO countries) $1,669 (13 ARIPO countries) ARIPO surcharge where specification of goods / services is more than 50 words: $5 per word |
| SANi+OAPI | $2,215 | $1,059 |
| SANi+ARIPO+OAPI | $3,851 (7 ARIPO countries) $4,151 (9 ARIPO countries) $4,751 (13 ARIPO countries) ARIPO surcharge where specification of goods / services is more than 50 words: $5 per word |
$1,519 (7 ARIPO countries) $1,639 (9 ARIPO countries) $1,879 (13 ARIPO countries) ARIPO surcharge where specification of goods / services is more than 50 words: $5 per word |
| Pricing includes | Pricing excludes | |
|---|---|---|
| SANi | Cursory search (without opinion), filing, acceptance, official fees, grant, courier of Nigerian trademark certificate; responses to "routine office actions" (submitting outstanding documents, associating marks, disclaimer, admission and endorsing the meaning) | Responses to rejections, opposition |
| ARIPO | Filing, acceptance, official fees, grant, email of electronic ARIPO trademark certificate | Objections or office actions raised by member States, courier of paper ARIPO trademark certificate (estimated $110, if required) |
| OAPI | Filing, acceptance, official fees and grant | Opposition, courier of paper OAPI trademark certificate ($115, if required) Comprehensive search available at additional cost: First class: official fee 146 Euros (1 class) + professional fee Euro 77 Subsequent class: official fee 16 Euro + professional fee 10 Euro |
The top 7 countries (Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi and Namibia) constitute 92% of the total GDP of all 13 ARIPO trademark States.
Although, Eswatini (Swaziland) and Lesotho are independent countries, they are land-locked within South Africa.
| ARIPO States: | GDP (bill.) | Pop. (mill.) |
| Tanzania | $67.78 | 61.50 |
| Uganda | $40.43 | 47.12 |
| Zimbabwe | $26.22 | 15.09 |
| Botswana | $17.61 | 2.40 |
| Mozambique | $16.10 | 32.16 |
| Malawi | $12.63 | 19.65 |
| Namibia | $12.24 | 2.59 |
| Eswatini (Swaziland) | $4.94 | 1.17 |
| Lesotho | $3.52 | 2.16 |
| Liberia | $3.49 | 5.18 |
| Gambia | $2.08 | 2.49 |
| Cape Verde | $1.94 | 0.56 |
| Sao Tome | $0.55 | 0.22 |
Limit description of goods / services to 50 words, else a surcharge applies.
| South Africa | |
| Details required for filing |
|
| Documents required for filing | Simply signed power of attorney. No original required. |
| Nigeria | |
| Details required for filing |
|
| Documents required for filing | Simply signed power of attorney. No original required. |
| ARIPO | |
| Details required for filing |
|
| Documents required for filing | Simply signed power of attorney. No original required. |
| OAPI | |
| Details required for filing |
|
| Documents required for filing | Simply signed power of attorney. Original Power of Attorney required (please courier). |
South Africa: Sibanda & Zantwijk Patent Attorneys
ARIPO: Samuriwo Attorneys
OAPI: Atanga Law Office
Send an email with the trademark details to either info@globalipco.com or info@snz.co.za.
[* the SANi trademark is not created by Treaty]
Global IP & Consulting FZ LLE (Licensed activities: E-Commerce, Business Consultancy)
