AFRICA IP CENTRE
Welcome to the Africa Intellectual Property Centre – Making IP work for Africa and Africans!
The Africa Intellectual Property Centre (Africa IP Centre) was founded on 7th December 2020. The Centre is located at the headquarters of the International Trade and Research Centre (ITRC). ITRC is a think tank and Public Policy Research, Analysis, and Engagement Organization (PPRAEO).
The Africa IP Centre is a unique continental-wide, not-for-profit initiative dedicated to strengthening the intellectual property (IP) system and the institutional capacities of IP institutions in Africa. The Centre was inspired by a series of webinars organized by Africa International Trade and Commerce Research and the International Trade & Research Centre in partnership with Flora IP, AllThingsIP Africa, IP First Group, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), and the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) – the two leading regional and intergovernmental IP organizations in Africa.
The titles of the two events that inspired the creation of the centre were:
AFRICA REGIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANISATION UNDER THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA AGREEMENT: SHOULD NIGERIA JOIN OR NOT?
TOWARDS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HARMONIZATION IN AFRICA.
Africa IP Centre Mission Statement
To support an appropriate Intellectual Property system in the African context through the stimulation of informed discussion and stakeholders’ engagement.
Vision of Africa IP Center
To facilitate the promotion and utilization of the Intellectual Property system for the benefit of Africa and Africans.
Activities and PROGRAMS
The Africa IP Centre aims to promote appropriate IP policies for the African context and advocate for their formulation and implementation. This is to ensure that intellectual property works for Africa and Africans. The Centre’s activities include advocacy, knowledge sharing, thought-provoking discussions, networking, exchange of ideas, and coordination of IP harmonization infrastructure. It also organizes workshops, masterclasses, conferences, and summits designed to involve relevant stakeholders such as continental institutions, governments, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, multilateral organizations, civil society, academia, research institutions, IP enthusiasts, and communities. The Africa IP Centre will analyse intellectual property-related issues, focusing on Africa’s efforts to increase IP filings and harmonise IP-related structures on the continent. This initiative aims to achieve the objectives summarized as ABP
ITRC, through the Africa IP Centre, will analyze Intellectual Property-related issues through the lenses of the ongoing Africa quest to increase Africa IP filling and harmonising IP-related architecture in Africa, which fundamentally aims at the following objectives under the acronym PBP:
The Africa IP Centre, from the perspective of PBP, will also provide a thorough evidence-based analysis of the African IP system. This will be achieved through research and data analysis and by regularly engaging stakeholders to improve Africa’s IP ecosystem, leverage opportunities and support initiatives that will create an enabling environment to address key IP obstacles and challenges facing Africa.