GlobalIPCo and SANi significantly increase South African patents by Chinese applicants

In 2022, China overtook the US as the largest filer of South African patents. Over the past two years, China has increased its focus on Africa and now accounts for about 40% of South African patents filed

Over the past two years (2020-2022) the number of South African patent filings increased by 73%, making the South African Patent Office the fastest growing patent office worldwide. This growth was largely due to China.

2022 also saw China becoming the dominant filer of Nigerian patents.

One of the main reasons for this shift from the US to China is the Chinese adoption of the SANi Patent – a low-cost, fixed price combination patent covering South Africa and Nigeria, with all 20 years of renewals pre-paid (total cost $1,750, if filed through S&Z).

By filing the SANi Patent (with payment of the Vicennial Renewal), Chinese applicants reduced the lifetime cost of South African and Nigerian patents by more than 80%, making the filings attractive to Chinese companies intending future expansion into Africa.

In contrast, US applicants continue to follow the traditional approach – filing Nigerian and South African patents separately and paying renewals annually – with uncommercial cost:value ratios. Without reducing the cost of African patents to US applicants, the US will continue to fall behind China in Africa.

[The SANi patent is not the creation of a Treaty]