SANi – a collaboration between GlobalIPCo and S&Z
GlobalIPCo and S&Z are putting a powerful team together for filing African patents.
Africa is best covered by filing SANi, ARIPO and OAPI patents. The SANi patent is a combination patent covering South Africa and Nigeria, the ARIPO patent covers 20 (generally, Anglophone) countries) and the OAPI patent covers 17 (generally, Francophone countries).
The team
The African filing team includes Sibanda & Zantwijk (S&Z) (for South African and SANi patents), Kimi Onana / Crown & Shields (for Nigerian patents), Nancy Samuriwo (for ARIPO patents) and Charles Atanga (for OAPI patents).
Tips to reduce cost
Although 20 States may be selected when filing an ARIPO patent, it is best to select 7 or less, as this reduces the lifetime cost by 56% while covering 82% of the GDP and 76% of the population.
Further to reduce African patent costs, we suggest:
| SANi patent | Pay all future renewals upfront Use the GlobalIPco online system Delay amendments until consider infringement proceedings |
| ARIPO patent | Limit claims to 10 and pages to 30 |
| OAPI patent | Limit claims to 10 and pages to (10, 20 or) 30 |
About GlobalIPCo
GlobalIPCo is an online filing system that files about 5,000 African patents per year. The GlobalIPCo system can be used to file SANi patents, individual South African patents and individual Nigerian patents. By automating the patent process, GlobalIPCo is able significantly to reduce costs. In addition, GlobalIPCo enables patents to be renewed “to term” (i.e. pre-payment of patent renewals for the entire 20-year term), thereby reducing the lifetime cost of patents it manages.
S&Z offers SANi patents for $875 (filing to courier of certificate) and pre-payment of all 20 years of SANi patent renewals for $875.
[The SANi patent is not the creation of a Treaty]