How best to secure patent coverage for Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa: comprises 50 countries; is the second most populous region worldwide; and has the highest population growth rate worldwide.

The table below details the GDP (US$bill.) and population (mill.) for each Sub-Saharan African country and orders them according to their GlobalIPCo Weighting (i.e. 2x[proportionate GDP]+1x[proportionate population]). The GlobalIPCo Weighting accounts for current GDP and potential population-generated growth.

The two highest scoring countries – Nigeria and South Africa – represent 44% of the total GDP and 37.2% of the total GlobalIPCo Weighting and are easily covered by the SANi combination patent. SANi patent cost:

• Filing to courier of certificates: $875 (S&Z pricing to law firms);
• Pre-payment of all 20 years of renewals: $875 (S&Z pricing to law firms).

Since neither Nigeria nor South Africa conducts substantive examination of patents, a low fixed-price is payable from filing to grant, and the patents are typically issued within 3-12 months of filing. Both these countries also permit payment of Vicennial Renewals (i.e. pre-payment of patent renewals for all 20 years of the patent term, at a significant discount).

The pricing in the table is the patent and lifetime renewal cost available via the GlobalIPCo online system (assuming that 4 patents are sent in a courier parcel). Law firms are entitled to further discounted pricing.

By adding Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana (available through ARIPO), the total Sub-Saharan GDP and GlobalIPCo Weighting coverage can be increased to over 50%.

[The SANi combination patent is not created by treaty]