ARIPO patent – selecting countries

If you are approaching the 31 month deadline of your PCT patent, it is time to consider filing an ARIPO regional patent. This will secure protection over a large swathe of Southern Africa. But which ARIPO member countries should you select?

ARIPO regional phase patent

An ARIPO patent covers the following countries:

  • Botswana
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Rwanda
  • Sierra Leone
  • Sudan
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

For each designated country:

  • the filing fee of the ARIPO patent increases by US$75, and
  • each renewal fee of the ARIPO patent increases by US$40 to US$520 (depending on the year).

Note: The ARIPO examination fee can be reduced significantly by passing an amendment within 18 months following filing (and pre-examination) to reduce the number of claims to 10 or less. For each claim above 10, a surcharge of US$40 is payable.

The table below (based on 2013 data) is useful to select appropriate ARIPO member states:

ARIPO Country Information
Country GDP Population GDP/Capita
Sudan US$ 70,127m 35,150,000 US$ 1,995
Kenya US$ 55,206m 43,291,000 US$ 1,275
Ghana US$ 44,223m 26,441,000 US$ 1,673
Tanzania US$ 34,238m 45,950,000 US$ 745
Uganda US$ 23,053m 35,363,000 US$ 652
Zambia US$ 22,416m 14,129,000 US$ 1,587
Mozambique US$ 15,329m 24,491,000 US$ 626
Botswana US$ 14,837m 2,096,000 US$ 7,079
Zimbabwe US$ 12,951m 13,098,000 US$ 989
Namibia US$ 12,318m 2,170,000 US$ 5,676
Rwanda US$ 7,431m 10,780,000 US$ 689
Sierra Leone US$ 4,929m 5,823,000 US$ 846
Malawi US$ 3,814m 15,316,000 US$ 249
Swaziland US$ 3,620m 1,077,000 US$ 3,361
Lesotho US$ 2,276m 1,887,000 US$ 1,206
Liberia US$ 1,933m 3,881,000 US$ 498
Gambia US$ 850m 1,794,000 US$ 474
TOTAL US$ 329,551m 282,737,000 US$ 1,166

The top six GDP countries (in descending order) are: Sudan, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

The countries with the largest population (in descending order) are: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ghana and Mozambique.

The countries with the wealthiest citizens (in descending order) are: Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Sudan, Ghana and Zambia.

We suggest selecting at least the following countries::

  • Sudan
  • Ghana
  • Zambia
  • Kenya
  • Zimbabwe
  • Tanzania
  • (possibly) Uganda

Tip: File a South African national phase patent through GlobalIPCo for only $399 or a Nigerian national phase patent through GlobalIPCo for only $600.

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