South Africa: Patent

South Africa is positioning itself as a key player in the global electric mobility and battery value chains through strategic support for locally developed technologies and intellectual property. Can government-backed research partnerships and mineral resources be successfully converted into competitive industrial applications? The collaboration between academic institutions and industry demonstrates a model for technology commercialisation in the energy-storage sector.

Mobile applications represent significant business investments comprising multiple forms of intellectual property, yet the underlying IP rights are frequently overlooked. Understanding how copyright, trade marks, design rights and patents interact in the mobile app context is essential to avoid ownership disputes, commercialisation restrictions and avoidable legal risk.

The African Organisation for Intellectual Property (OAPI) engaged in strategic discussions during the 2026 WIPO General Assemblies in Geneva, focusing on strengthening international cooperation and promoting innovation across member states. These high-level meetings culminated in the signing of a bilateral work plan with Morocco's industrial property office, marking a significant step in expanding IP-driven economic development partnerships across the Francophone African region.

South Africa's agricultural sector presents significant commercial opportunities for horticultural businesses and farmers who breed or import plant varieties.

Morocco's International University of Rabat (UIR) has officially become Africa's number‑one university for patent filings, marking a milestone for the continent's innovation...

At the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly in Addis Ababa this past February, heads of state adopted eight key Annexes to the AfCFTA Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), which was considered a transformative step towards a unified African innovation market.

In October, EGIPA also published various ministerial decisions affecting the official fees payable relating to the prosecution of applications, registrations, and maintenance of registrations in respect of patents...

In the connected fitness world, the biggest rivalries aren't just on the leaderboard, they are increasingly playing out in the IP office and the courtroom.

South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) has made a formal submission in response to the government's planned reforms of the Patents Act and Designs Act.