The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the Industrial Property Institute (IPI) of Mozambique organized the 1st Africa IP Register Coordination Meeting in Maputo, Mozambique, from April 20 to 24, 2026, with support from Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT/Japan IP Global).
The 1st Africa IP Register Coordination Meeting was held in person in Maputo, bringing together 30 officials from selected African IP offices and regional organizations, including OAPI, Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and the United Republic of Tanzania.
The Africa IP Register Initiative
Building on the successful ASEAN IP Register—which hosts over 8.7 million records and provides a one-stop platform for regional IP data—WIPO is replicating this proven model in Africa to enable seamless access to IP data for users, businesses, researchers, and IP offices across the continent.
The meeting aimed to confirm the Africa IP Register concept and its strategic value, assess current state of IP office automation and data quality challenges, and review existing platforms as models. The technical framework and data model for the Africa IP register, potential partnerships, and a practical roadmap for implementation.
About the meeting
The meeting marked a significant milestone toward establishing a unified regional IP data platform in Africa, demonstrating strong political commitment, technical readiness, and growing regional collaboration. With a solid foundation and a group of committed early adopters, the Africa IP Register is well positioned to deliver tangible benefits in the near term while building a sustainable and scalable platform for the future.