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Regional trademark guide · Updated

OAPI trademark registration

One application to the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) leads to a registration with uniform effect in all 17 member states. The member states keep no national trademark registers, and you cannot register in only some of them; foreign applicants must use an OAPI-approved agent and file in French or English.

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Five questions first

Which route?File directly with OAPI or designate OAPI through the Madrid System; both cover all 17 states. There is no way to register in a single member state.Details ↓What do I need?Applicant's name and address, the mark, goods or services by Nice class and a signed power of attorney; if you claim priority, a certified copy of the earlier application within 3 months.Details ↓How are official fees charged?Filing fee FCFA 360,000 including 1 class, plus FCFA 75,000 for each further class; renewal FCFA 500,000 including 1 class. Service fees are quoted by the agent.Details ↓How long does it take?OAPI publishes no average time. The application is published first and examined for registration only after the 3-month opposition period; an opposed applicant has 3 months to reply, extendable once.Details ↓What are the main risks?All 17 states stand or fall together, and a final invalidity judgment in one applies in all; revocation and invalidity go to national courts; bad-faith filings must be challenged within 3 months of publication.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in the OAPI system: key facts

OfficeAfrican Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), headquartered in Yaoundé, Cameroon; the Bangui Agreement applies as national law in each member state. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawBangui Agreement as revised on 14 December 2015 (in force since 14 November 2020), its Annex III (marks) and implementing regulations
Coverage17 member states (checked on OAPI's website, 2026-10-07); one registration has uniform effect in all of them, and you cannot register in only some
National registrationMember states keep no national trademark registers; applicants domiciled in a member state can file through its ministry, which forwards the application to OAPI within 5 working days
Madrid SystemOAPI has been a Madrid Protocol member since 5 March 2015 and is designated as a whole; provisional refusal period of 18 months
Foreign applicantsMust file through an OAPI-approved agent in a member state
LanguageFrench or English
Multi-class applicationsAllowed; the filing fee of FCFA 360,000 includes 1 class, and each class from the 2nd costs FCFA 75,000
Examination scopeOAPI examines absolute grounds of its own motion, such as distinctiveness, public order, deceptiveness and official emblems; conflicts with earlier marks are mainly raised by their owners through opposition
Opposition period (statutory)3 months from publication of the application; for international registrations designating OAPI, 6 months from OAPI's publication under OAPI's Madrid regulations
Term and renewal10 years from the filing date, renewable indefinitely; renew in the last year of the term, with a 6-month grace period after expiry
Use requirementNo declaration of use; after 5 consecutive years of non-use in every member state, any interested party can ask a national court of a member state for revocation
Fee currencyCFA francs (FCFA), pegged to the euro: EUR 1 = FCFA 655.957

Checked on 2026-10-07; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Territorial scope

The 17 member states covered by an OAPI trademark

One OAPI trademark covers all 17 countries below at once. Registration, renewal and assignment apply to all member states as a whole; only a licence can be limited to one member state.

BeninBurkina FasoCameroonCentral African RepublicComorosRepublic of the CongoCôte d'IvoireGabonGuineaGuinea-BissauEquatorial GuineaMaliMauritaniaNigerSenegalChadTogo

List checked against the member states page on OAPI's website (2026-10-07). The Democratic Republic of the Congo is not an OAPI member; neighbours such as Nigeria and Ghana need national registration, see Trademark registration in Nigeria and Trademark registration in Ghana.

ARIPO, Africa's other regional organisation, works by designated state; for how it differs from OAPI, see the FAQ below and ARIPO trademark registration.

Which route

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

None of the 17 member states accepts national trademark registrations, so protection is available only through the two routes below, which have the same coverage: all member states.

ItemDirect filing with OAPIMadrid designation of OAPI
CoverageAll 17 member statesAll 17 member states; OAPI is designated as a whole, and individual member states cannot be designated
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration in your home country; if the basic mark ceases to have effect within 5 years of the international registration date, the international registration falls with it
AgentForeign applicants must appoint an OAPI-approved agent in a member stateThe international application is filed through your office of origin; no OAPI agent is needed to file
Official feesFiling fee FCFA 360,000 including 1 class, plus FCFA 75,000 for each class from the 2ndBasic fee plus OAPI's individual fee, paid to WIPO in Swiss francs; the individual fee is likewise charged for the first class plus each further class
Examination and opposition3-month opposition period after publication, followed by examinationOAPI must notify any provisional refusal within 18 months; 6-month opposition period after OAPI's publication
Best forOAPI is your only target, or you have no home filing to base an international registration onYou have or plan a Madrid international registration covering several countries

If the international registration is refused, withdrawn or ceases to have effect, OAPI's Madrid regulations let you ask within 3 months for it to be converted into an OAPI application, keeping the original filing or priority date. An existing OAPI registration can also be recorded as replaced by an international registration designating OAPI (official fee FCFA 265,000).

What to prepare

Documents checklist

Applicants filing directly with OAPI usually prepare the following; an OAPI-approved agent files the application in French or English, and online filing is available.

Applicant

  • Name and address, matching the company registration or identity documents
  • Power of attorney: a private document signed by the applicant, with no stamp duty; Annex III does not require notarisation or legalisation, so follow the agent's format
  • Joint applicants: attach the co-ownership rules (certified by the competent authority)

The mark

  • A clear representation; word, figurative, three-dimensional, colour-combination, sound, audiovisual and series marks can all be filed
  • Sound, audiovisual or series marks: attach a digital file and say so on the application form
  • Collective and certification marks: attach the regulations of use

Goods or services

  • State the Nice classes and the specific goods or services in a clear and complete list
  • One application can cover several classes; it can be divided during examination

Priority and payment

  • You can claim priority if you file with OAPI within 6 months of your first filing
  • Within 3 months of filing, submit the priority declaration and a certified copy of the earlier application, with FCFA 75,000 per priority claim; late documents mean loss of priority, which can be restored on request
  • The filing fee must be paid within 1 month of filing, or the application is deemed withdrawn
How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct filing.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search the OAPI trademark register; OAPI can also search for you, at FCFA 95,000 per word or figurative element

  2. Step 2

    Filing and payment

    Filed by an approved agent; the filing fee must be paid within 1 month (statutory)

  3. Step 3

    Formal examination

    If the documents are deficient, you are invited to correct them within 3 months, extendable by 30 days if needed (statutory)

  4. Step 4

    Publication of the application

    Published in the electronic OAPI Industrial Property Bulletin (BOPI)

  5. Step 5

    Opposition and ownership claims

    3 months from publication (statutory); an opposed applicant has 3 months to reply, extendable once

  6. Step 6

    Examination and registration

    Absolute grounds are examined and the outcome of any opposition taken into account; accepted marks are registered, published and certified, with registration dating back to the filing date; refusals can be appealed within 60 days (statutory)

OAPI publishes no average time from filing to registration, so this page gives no estimate. For international registrations designating OAPI, OAPI must notify any provisional refusal within 18 months of the international registration date or the date of subsequent designation.

How to read the periods: "statutory" = set by law; "official statistics" = averages published by the office; "estimate" = typical cases. Actual timing varies.

How much

Official fees

Official fees are in CFA francs (FCFA) and rise with the number of classes: the filing fee (including publication) covers the first class, and each class from the second costs extra; there is no separate registration fee. The table shows the current fees, set by OAPI Administrative Council Resolution No. 61/39 and in force since 1 January 2022; the CFA franc is pegged to the euro at EUR 1 = FCFA 655.957.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Filing and publication fee (first class included)Per application360,000 XAF≈ USD 616
Each class beyond the firstEach additional class75,000 XAF≈ USD 128
Payable when applicable
Priority claim (per priority, if claimed)Per item75,000 XAF≈ USD 128
OAPI prior-rights search (word or figurative elements, per search; optional)Per application95,000 XAF≈ USD 162
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (first class included, every 10 years, during the last year of the term)Per application500,000 XAF≈ USD 855
Renewal: each class beyond the firstEach additional class100,000 XAF≈ USD 171
Late renewal surcharge (renewal within the 6-month grace period)Per application130,000 XAF≈ USD 222
Other
Restoration of rights (circumstances beyond the owner's control)Per application375,000 XAF≈ USD 641
Restoration of rights (fault attributable to the agent)Per application650,000 XAF≈ USD 1,110
Recordal and publication of a change of ownershipPer application265,000 XAF≈ USD 453
Recordal and publication of a licencePer application265,000 XAF≈ USD 453
Recordal and publication of a change of name, address or legal formPer application265,000 XAF≈ USD 453
Appeal to the High Commission of Appeal (per appeal)Per application960,000 XAF≈ USD 1,640

Source: OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle), Grille des taxes applicables aux Marques de produits et services · current fees in force since 2022-01-01 · checked on 2026-10-07 · USD figures are approximate, converted at the Bank of China spot selling rate (or, for currencies it does not quote, at the central bank's published USD rate); the official fee is the amount in the original currency

Official fees are as published by the office; the service fee is quoted by an agent after you submit, and you pay only after accepting the quote.

Example: an OAPI trademark in 3 classes costs 360,000 + 75,000 × 2 = FCFA 510,000 to file, about EUR 777; claiming one priority adds FCFA 75,000.

Renewal 10 years later for the same 3 classes: 500,000 + 100,000 × 2 = FCFA 700,000; renewal in the grace period adds FCFA 130,000.

Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to the OAPI system and common refusals

These rules are specific to OAPI and easy to overlook.

One registration: all 17 states stand or fall together

You cannot register or renew in only some member states, and an assignment covers all of them; only a licence can be limited to one member state. A final judgment on the validity of the mark by a court in one member state also has effect in the others (except judgments based on public order or morality).

Revocation and invalidity go to national courts

OAPI handles only oppositions and ownership claims at the application stage. Revocation for non-use and declarations of invalidity after registration must be sought before the national courts of the member states; final judgments are notified to OAPI, then recorded and published. The owner bears the burden of proving use.

Hijacked filings: watch the 3-month window

If someone files first while knowing or having reason to know of your prior use, you can claim ownership at OAPI within 3 months of publication of their application; if the claim succeeds, the application is transferred to you. After that deadline you can still sue in a member state's court for transfer, but it takes longer.

The 5-year limit for well-known marks

The owner of a well-known mark can ask a member state's court to declare a confusingly similar mark invalid; against a good-faith application, this must be done within 5 years of its filing date.

Short priority and payment deadlines

The filing fee must be paid within 1 month of filing, or the application is deemed withdrawn; to claim priority, file the priority declaration and a certified copy of the earlier application within 3 months, or priority is lost.

Missed renewal: grace period and restoration

Renewal is possible with a surcharge within 6 months after expiry. After the grace period, restoration can be requested only if the deadline was missed for reasons beyond your control, within 6 months of the obstacle ending and no later than 2 years after expiry. For 3 years after an unrenewed mark expires, no one else can register it for identical or similar goods.

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Disputes

Opposition, ownership claims, revocation and invalidity

Disputes at the application stage go to OAPI; revocation and invalidity after registration are heard by the national courts of the member states.

ItemOpposition at OAPIOwnership claim at OAPIRevocation or invalidity before a national court
AgainstA published trademark applicationA published trademark application whose applicant knew or should have known of your prior useA registered trademark
Time limit3 months from publication of the application; 6 months for international registrations designating OAPI, under the Madrid regulations3 months from publication of the first applicationRevocation: 5 consecutive years of non-use; invalidity: generally no fixed time limit, but a well-known mark owner acting against a good-faith application must do so within 5 years of its filing date
GroundsFailure to meet registrability requirements, or conflict with your earlier registered or applied-for mark or earlier priorityThe other party filed first while knowing or having reason to know of your prior useNon-use, or becoming a generic name through the owner's conduct; failure to meet registrability requirements or conflict with earlier rights
OutcomeRefusal of the application, or deletion of some goods or servicesThe application is transferred to you, or after its refusal you refile and keep the original filing dateRevocation or declaration of invalidity; final judgments on validity have effect in all member states
Official feeFCFA 170,000FCFA 170,000Under the member state's court rules
AppealTo OAPI's Higher Appeals Commission within 60 days of notificationTo OAPI's Higher Appeals Commission within 60 days of notificationUnder the member state's court procedure

If you are opposed, you have 3 months to reply, extendable once; at the request of either party, OAPI hears both sides before deciding.

After registration

Keeping the registration

An OAPI trademark is renewed every 10 years; genuine use in any one member state keeps it alive in the meantime.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
ThroughoutUse the mark genuinely in any member state and keep dated evidence such as invoices, advertising and online shop pages—
In the last year of the termRenew for 10 years; you can narrow the goods or services but cannot change the mark or add goodsFCFA 500,000 including 1 class, FCFA 100,000 for each class from the 2nd
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewal in the grace periodSurcharge of FCFA 130,000
Renewal missed for reasons beyond your controlRequest restoration within 6 months of the obstacle ending, and no later than 2 years after expiryFCFA 375,000; FCFA 650,000 if the agent was at fault
Any timeRecord assignments, licences and changes of name or address; they are effective against third parties only once recorded and publishedFCFA 265,000 each

Customs protection: on proof of registration, the owner can apply in writing to a member state's customs to detain suspected infringing goods. Within 10 working days of notice of detention (3 working days for perishable goods), the owner must obtain provisional measures from a court or bring proceedings, or the detention is lifted automatically.

FAQ

Trademark registration in the OAPI system

How much does OAPI trademark registration cost?

The filing fee (including publication) is FCFA 360,000, covering 1 class; each class from the 2nd adds FCFA 75,000, and there is no separate registration fee. For 3 classes, for example, official fees are FCFA 510,000, about EUR 777 (EUR 1 = FCFA 655.957). Each priority claim adds FCFA 75,000. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Can I register a trademark only in Cameroon or Côte d'Ivoire?

No. None of the 17 OAPI member states keeps a national trademark register, so you can only register an OAPI trademark covering all of them; through the Madrid System, too, you can only designate OAPI as a whole.

How long does OAPI trademark registration take?

OAPI publishes no average time. The statutory steps are: the filing fee within 1 month; any corrections within 3 months; then publication of the application and a 3-month opposition period, after which OAPI examines it and decides on registration. If you are opposed, you have 3 months to reply, extendable once, and the whole process takes longer.

What is the difference between OAPI and ARIPO?

OAPI grants a unitary right: one registration has effect in all 17 member states and is examined and registered by OAPI. Under ARIPO's Banjul Protocol, you choose the designated states, and each examines the application under its own law and can refuse protection in its territory; see ARIPO trademark registration.

Is a Madrid designation of OAPI as good as a direct filing?

It has the same effect: an international registration designating OAPI that is not refused has the same effect as an OAPI registration and also covers all member states. The differences are that the Madrid route needs a basic mark in your home country and depends on it for 5 years; OAPI's refusal period is 18 months, and under OAPI's Madrid regulations the opposition period is 6 months from publication.

Do I need to use the mark in every member state?

No. Genuine use in any one member state protects the mark against revocation for non-use; only after 5 consecutive years without use in any member state can an interested party ask a national court to revoke it. OAPI does not require a declaration of use either.

Other IP rights

Patents: patents granted by OAPI have effect in all member states and last until the end of the 20th calendar year from the filing date; OAPI examines novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability. Utility models are protected for 10 years. The revised patent and utility model annexes of 2015 took effect in 2025. You can file directly with OAPI or enter OAPI from the PCT. In July 2026 OAPI described fee incentives: the patent registration cost cut from FCFA 1,000,000 to FCFA 22,500, and OAPI covering 80% of annual fees for the first 5 years after grant. OAPI did not say who qualifies, so whether foreign applicants can benefit depends on the formal rules; see OAPI cuts patent costs and supports five years of annuities.

Industrial designs: OAPI registrations have effect in all member states for 5 years, renewable twice, up to 15 years; OAPI has been a member of the Hague Agreement since 16 September 2008, so OAPI can also be designated through the Hague System.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)　·　Trademark registration in Africa: country guides

Downloads

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