SANi / SANi+(ARIPO, OAPI) trademarks

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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:

Africa map

SANi*:

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

ARIPO:

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)

OAPI:

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

Pricing

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

Notes:

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

Tips regarding ARIPO trademarks:

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.

Requirements

South Africa
Details required for filing
  • Applicants name and address
  • Trademark - if it is a logo mark, a clear .jpeg is required
  • Class/es and specification/s
Documents required for filing Simply signed power of attorney. No original required.
Nigeria
Details required for filing
  • Applicants name and address
  • Trademark - if it is a logo mark, a clear .jpeg is required
  • Class/es and specification/s
Documents required for filing Simply signed power of attorney. No original required.
ARIPO
Details required for filing
  • Applicants name and address
  • Trademark - if it is a logo mark, a clear .jpeg is required
  • Class/es and specification/s
Documents required for filing Simply signed power of attorney. No original required.
OAPI
Details required for filing
  • Applicants name and address and signatories capacity to sign
  • Trademark - if it is a logo mark, a clear .jpeg is required
  • Class/es and specification/s
Documents required for filing Simply signed power of attorney. Original Power of Attorney required (please courier).

Filing agents:

South Africa: Sibanda & Zantwijk Patent Attorneys
ARIPO: Samuriwo Attorneys
OAPI: Atanga Law Office

How to instruct a SANi+ trademark

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]