Why Africa? Africa is the continent with the second highest population and the highest population growth: It is forecast to become the most populous continent: “Africa is a young continent – the youngest in the world with 60% of the population under the age of 25.” Africa is also a large continent – larger than … Read more
Jun 15th, 2025Despite committing to make payment, Jacky Mofokeng continues to default on payment of an invoice for nearly 2 years: 22 Jan 2025: Good day, Kindly make note that I’ll only be able to pay the whole due amount plus the renewal for 2025 by the end of the (2nd) second month of this year 2025. Please furnish me … Read more
Jun 12th, 2025Nigerian PCT national phase patents fall due for renewal on each anniversary of the PCT filing date. This means that at least one renewal / annuity fee is typically payable on filing a Nigerian patent. In total, 19 renewals are payable for a Nigerian patent. Nigerian patent renewal costs range from $28 per year to … Read more
Jun 8th, 2025The SANi combination patent covers the most GDP and the economic powerhouses of Arica – South Africa and Nigeria. In fact, the SANi patent covers countries with a greater total GDP than ARIPO and OAPI combined. ARIPO covers the most countries – up to 22 member States (Botswana, Cape Verde, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, … Read more
May 31st, 2025S&Z started as an IP firm focussing on restructuring multinationals for tax. It then designed and created prototypes for inventors before combining with GlobalIPCo to develop an IP platform for Africa. Today, S&Z is the largest filer of South African patents (2022-2024). Now, S&Z focusses on the SANi patent / trademark – the “best option … Read more
May 26th, 2025Suggestions for the top 5 Nigerian patent and trademark law firms: 1. Leading filer and most technologically advanced Crown & Shields (partner: Kimi Onana) is the leading filer of Nigerian patents and trademarks – able to file large numbers of Nigerian patents and trademarks efficiently and at very competitive rates. In 2022, Crown & Shields was … Read more
May 25th, 2025The top four filers of South African patents for the past 40 months (1 January 2022 to 30 April 2025) were: Firm No. South African Patents Filed 1st: Sibanda & Zantwijk 10,477 2nd: Firm A 7,384 3rd: Firm B 6,311 4th: Firm C 2,479 Sibanda & Zantwijk is consistently the leading South African patent firm … Read more
May 17th, 2025Renewing a Nigerian trademark is easy. The best option is to renew Nigerian trademarks through PayAnnuity. This is how to do it in 4 easy steps: Step 1 – register with PayAnnuity. Add your email address and password. There is no registration or licence fee. You only pay PayAnnuity if a trademark renewal is instructed. … Read more
May 16th, 2025The easiest and most cost-effective way to renew a Nigerian trademark is through PayAnnuity (a renewal system operated by GlobalIPCo). Nigerian trademarks are renewable: on the 7th anniversary of the Nigerian trademark filing date; and every 14 years thereafter. The cost to renew a Nigerian trademark is about $160. Simply register on PlayAnnuity, upload your … Read more
May 10th, 2025The mark “SANI” is a registered trademark in class 45 (Legal services) within South Africa (registration no. 2022/28010) and Nigeria (registration no. F/TM/O/2022/90508). The SANi trademark is used in connection with a combination patent and trademark that covers both South African and Nigeria. SANi combination patents and trademarks are only offered by GlobalIPCo, S&Z and … Read more
May 4th, 2025The easiest way to file a trademark in Nigeria is through the GlobalIPCo online filing system – a filing platform that specialises in securing IP protection in Africa. If you are a law firm, the cost to obtain a Nigerian trademark is: Filing: $126 Registration: $70 Step 1: Choose a Word mark or a Logo … Read more
May 3rd, 2025Unsystematic risk is the last layer of risk one accounts for when valuing intellectual property. To understand unsystematic risk, it is best to explain what it does not include: When determining the risk associated with intellectual property, one accounts for: the lowest level of risk – the risk-free rate, i.e. a government bond with a … Read more
Apr 26th, 2025S&Z became the largest filer of South African patents (2022, 2023, 2024) by offering the best fixed-cost South African filing options and the ability to upgrade the South African patent to a SANi combination patent (that includes Nigeria): South African patentTotal cost (includes professional and official fees)File South African patent$475 Respond to office actionFreeRequest accelerated … Read more
Apr 19th, 2025Law firm marketing using ChatGPT is extremely effective. Last week a client contacted me because ChatGPT recommended us as the “go-to” firm for intellectual property valuation. I was flattered, but how? We don’t market on ChatGPT. Well, you can’t buy ChatGPT “Adwords”; you need content – just not the mass-content created for SEO purposes. Somehow, … Read more
Feb 15th, 2025We identified South African companies with the highest R&D activity in 2000 and tracked their R&D activity over the next 25 years, to determine whether external factors may have influenced their level of R&D activity. In 2000, the nine most active companies filed 113 South African provisional patents. This reduced by +90% over the next … Read more
Jan 8th, 2025