Regional systems such as OAPI and ARIPO cover much of the continent, but IP protection in Africa also depends on three markets that belong to neither: Morocco, Egypt and South Africa. Morocco and Egypt can be reached through WIPO’s Madrid, Hague and PCT systems, while South Africa requires national filings for trademarks and designs. This guide compares the three gateways for European and Latin American companies building an African portfolio.
Key takeaways
- Morocco, Egypt and South Africa are not members of OAPI or ARIPO, so a regional filing never covers them.
- Morocco and Egypt are members of the Madrid Protocol, the Hague Agreement (Geneva Act) and the PCT, so they can be added to international filings.
- South Africa is not in Madrid or Hague; trademarks and designs go through national applications at the CIPC, while patents can enter via the PCT.
- Morocco accepts the validation of European patents, in force since 1 March 2015.
- Egypt created a single Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority by Law No. 163 of 2023; check how far the transition has gone before filing.
Why these three markets matter for IP protection in Africa
OAPI (the African Intellectual Property Organization) grants one title for its 17 member states in West and Central Africa, and ARIPO (the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization) lists 22 member states, mainly in English-speaking Africa. Neither list includes Morocco, Egypt or South Africa, according to the OAPI and ARIPO websites. Yet these are three of the continent’s main commercial hubs: Morocco faces the Iberian Peninsula, Egypt links Africa and the Middle East, and South Africa anchors southern Africa.
In practice, a company that files only at OAPI and ARIPO leaves its most likely first African markets unprotected. Each of the three needs its own decision.
Morocco, Egypt and South Africa compared
The table draws on WIPO’s membership records for the Madrid Protocol, the Hague Agreement (status on 14 July 2026) and the PCT (status on 19 May 2026), and on the EPO’s list of validation states.
| Feature | Morocco | Egypt | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP office | OMPIC (Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office) | Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (Law No. 163 of 2023) | CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission) |
| Madrid Protocol (trademarks) | Yes, since 8 October 1999 | Yes, since 3 September 2009 | No |
| Hague, Geneva Act (designs) | Yes, since 22 July 2022 | Yes, since 27 August 2004 | No |
| PCT (patents) | Yes, since 8 October 1999 | Yes, since 6 September 2003 | Yes, since 16 March 1999 |
| European patent | Validation state since 1 March 2015 | No | No |
| Madrid fee per designation (3 classes, June 2026 table) | Individual fee: CHF 307 | Complementary fee: CHF 100 | Not available |
Morocco: the Euro-Mediterranean gateway
For Spanish and Portuguese companies, Morocco is often the first African market. The OMPIC handles trademarks, patents, designs and geographical indications, and also keeps the Central Commercial Register, where trade names are recorded. That combination matters: a trade name registered locally by a distributor can collide with your mark, so searches should cover both registers.
Morocco is reachable through all three WIPO systems. For trademarks, a Madrid designation costs CHF 219 for the first class and CHF 44 for each further class according to the WIPO individual fee table (update of 7 June 2026). For patents there is a fourth route: since 1 March 2015, a European patent application can be extended to Morocco through the EPO validation agreement, so the same European filing that covers Spain or France can also cover Morocco.
Egypt: international routes and a new authority
Egypt is a member of Madrid, Hague and the PCT, and the Egyptian Patent Office is one of the 24 International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authorities listed in WIPO’s PCT status document. A Madrid designation of Egypt carries the standard complementary fee of CHF 100, because Egypt does not appear in WIPO’s table of individual fees.
The institutional picture is changing. Law No. 163 of 2023, issued on 6 August 2023 and in force the following day, established the Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority as a single body for IP. Our recommendation is to confirm with local counsel which body is processing each type of right at the time of filing, and how pending files are being handled, before relying on older procedures.
South Africa: a national route for marks and designs
South Africa is the largest of the three markets that cannot be reached through Madrid or Hague. The CIPC states that South Africa is not yet a member of those agreements, so trademarks and designs require national applications. Three practical points from the CIPC’s own guidance:
- A separate trademark application is required for each class of goods or services, which multiplies official fees for multi-class marks.
- The address for service must be within South Africa, so foreign owners work through a local representative.
- The CIPC’s service standard for issuing a first official action on a new trademark application is 10 months from filing.
For patents, South Africa has been a PCT member since 16 March 1999, so an international application can enter the national phase there alongside Latin American and European markets.
What this means for your business
- Treat Morocco, Egypt and South Africa as separate decisions from OAPI and ARIPO in your African plan.
- Add Morocco and Egypt to your Madrid and Hague filings when the base right is solid; plan South Africa as national filings from the start.
- For patents, decide early between the PCT and, for Morocco, the European patent with validation.
- Search local company and trade name registers as well as the trademark register, especially in Morocco.
- Diarise the different timelines: a Madrid designation and a South African national application will not move at the same speed.
Our cross-border IP strategy team for Africa and the wider corridor can combine these routes with your OAPI and ARIPO filings in one plan.
Where companies get Africa wrong
- Assuming a regional filing covers the continent. OAPI and ARIPO together still leave out Morocco, Egypt and South Africa.
- Filing through Madrid and forgetting South Africa. A Madrid application cannot designate it; a separate national filing is needed.
- Underestimating South African costs. One application per class means a three-class mark needs three applications.
- Letting a distributor register first. A mark or trade name filed by a local partner is costly to recover; file before you appoint distributors.
- Working with a different agent in each country without coordination, which leads to inconsistent owners, specifications and renewal dates.
Frequently asked questions
Can I protect a trademark in Morocco and Egypt through the Madrid System?
Yes. Both are members of the Madrid Protocol, Morocco since 1999 and Egypt since 2009, so they can be designated in an international application or added later by subsequent designation. Morocco charges an individual fee, while Egypt is covered by the standard complementary fee. Any provisional refusal is answered before the local office, normally through a local representative.
How do I protect a trademark in South Africa?
Through a national application at the CIPC, because South Africa is not a member of the Madrid Protocol. The CIPC requires a separate application for each class and an address for service within South Africa, so foreign owners usually file through a local representative. Plan the filing alongside your Madrid designations so priority dates stay aligned.
Does a European patent cover Morocco?
It can. Morocco’s validation agreement with the European Patent Organisation has been in force since 1 March 2015, so a European patent application or patent can be validated in Morocco. Egypt and South Africa are not validation states; for those markets, the usual route is the PCT national phase or a direct national application.
Can IP Global Guard handle filings in Morocco, Egypt and South Africa?
Yes. We prepare and coordinate Madrid and Hague designations of Morocco and Egypt, PCT national phase entries and national filings in South Africa, working with local correspondents in each office and with European patent attorneys for the EPO route, all from a single point of contact alongside your European and Latin American portfolio.
How IP Global Guard can open your African gateways
Protecting IP in Africa means combining regional titles with the right national and international routes for Morocco, Egypt and South Africa. IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, coordinates trademarks, designs and patents across more than 25 jurisdictions in Europe, Latin America and Africa with one strategy and one billing relationship. Our coverage map shows the African markets we coordinate, and our trademark registration service handles the Madrid and national filings.
Tell us which African markets you are entering and which rights matter most. We will set out the route for each country, the official fees and the timeline, and coordinate the filings from one point of contact. Get in touch about your African filings.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and procedures should be confirmed with each office before filing.
Sources
- WIPO Lex, Madrid Protocol contracting parties
- WIPO, Hague Agreement: status on 14 July 2026
- WIPO, Patent Cooperation Treaty: status on 19 May 2026
- WIPO, Individual fees under the Madrid Protocol (update of 7 June 2026)
- EPO, Validation states
- WIPO Lex, Egypt: Law No. 163 of 2023 establishing the Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (6 August 2023)
- OMPIC, official website
- CIPC, trade marks, patents and designs: services and turnaround times
- OAPI, official website (member states)
- ARIPO, Member states
