Intellectual Property lawyers in Yaounde (AF)

The OAPI (African Intellectual Property Organization) headquarters is located in the Nlongkak district of Yaounde, Cameroon. This central location in the capital city makes it accessible for patent attorneys and trademark agents working on intellectual property matters throughout the 17 member states. The headquarters serves as the primary filing location for all IP registrations in the OAPI region.

A trademark registration filed in Yaounde through the OAPI system covers all 17 member states with a single application. These countries include:

• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Comoros
• Congo
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Equatorial Guinea
• Gabon
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Niger
• Senegal
• Togo

This regional system provides protection across a market of over 100 million people through one registration process.

Patent attorneys in Yaounde can register several types of intellectual property rights through the OAPI system:

1. Patents for inventions
2. Trademarks for brands and logos
3. Industrial designs
4. Utility models
5. Trade names
6. Geographic indications
7. Plant varieties
8. Literary and artistic property rights

Each of these registrations filed in Yaounde provides protection across all 17 OAPI member countries.

Businesses should hire IP lawyers in the Centre Region of Cameroon for several practical reasons:

• Direct access to OAPI headquarters for expedited filings
• Knowledge of local language requirements for applications
• Understanding of regional business practices and IP enforcement
• Ability to attend in-person hearings at OAPI
• Experience with specific requirements of the Bangui Agreement
• Connections with local authorities for enforcement actions

These lawyers combine local expertise with international standards to protect intellectual property effectively across the OAPI region.

Patents registered through Yaounde’s OAPI office receive protection for 20 years from the filing date. This duration applies uniformly across all 17 member countries. The protection cannot be renewed after the 20-year period expires, and the invention then enters the public domain. Maintenance fees must be paid annually to keep the patent in force throughout this period.

When filing trademarks through attorneys in Yaounde, the opposition process follows these steps:

1. After filing, trademarks are published in the OAPI Official Bulletin
2. Third parties have 6 months from publication to file an opposition
3. Oppositions must be submitted to OAPI headquarters in Yaounde
4. The trademark applicant receives notification and has 3 months to respond
5. OAPI examines both parties’ arguments before making a decision
6. Appeals can be filed within 30 days of the decision

Local expertise in this process is crucial for ensuring successful navigation of the trademark regulations.