Bringing you the latest news and views from across Africa.
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has announced that, with effect from 2 February 2026, all South African patents and patents of addition will be issued electronically. Certified copies will likewise be issued in electronic form only.
The Plant Improvement Act, 2018 (Act 11 of 2018) and its Regulations are in operation with effect from 1 December 2025, replacing the previous Plant Improvement Act, 1976 framework.
Zambia has introduced significant changes to its trade mark laws through the Trade Marks Act No. 11 of 2023, which officially came into effect on 31 December 2025. This new Act replaces the outdated 1958 legislation and Zambian trade mark law more into alignment with international standards.
The Indian Trade Marks Registry has accepted its first olfactory (smell) mark. It is trade mark application no. 5860303 filed by SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD with the title: “FLORAL FRAGRANCE/ SMELL REMINISCENT OF ROSES AS APPLIED TO TYRES”. What got this application over the line to acceptance – other than the smell of roses as applied to tyres being distinctive – is that it provides a seven-dimensional olfactory graph which plots the rose scent across seven olfactory axes. Pretty neat! Below is the graph for you to see for yourself:
The Court of Appeal of Tanzania has issued a landmark ruling in the case of Lakairo Industries Group Co. Limited & 2 Others vs Kenafrica Industries Limited & 2 others (Civil Appeal No. 593 of 2022) confirming that trade marks registered through the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) under the Banjul Protocol are not enforceable in Tanzania. Although the United Republic of Tanzania acceded to the Banjul Protocol in 1999, it has never ratified nor incorporated the protocol into its domestic legislation. As a result, ARIPO registrations designating Tanzania have no legal effect within the country.
Influencer marketing is a popular way of getting your product in front of your target audience. Watching a social media influencer’s shopping haul or scrolling past a post gushing over a specific brand, one can’t help but wonder: does this influencer genuinely love this product or is this a paid partnership?
