Overview
Rwanda protects trademarks, patents, and industrial designs through its national legal system. The country is a member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and a contracting party to the Harare Protocol, which enables applicants to register patents and industrial designs via ARIPO. However, Rwanda is not a party to the Banjul Protocol, meaning trademark protection cannot be obtained through ARIPO.
Applicants seeking trademark registration must file directly with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). For broader protection, Rwanda’s membership in the Madrid Protocol allows international trademark applications designating Rwanda through the WIPO system.
Rwanda’s IP framework aligns with internationally accepted standards, ensuring that both local and foreign applicants can register and enforce their rights. The RDB facilitates administrative processes for IP filings, including examination and grant procedures. In cases of infringement or dispute, rights holders can seek remedies through the national courts.
International Conventions
Rwanda is party to several key treaties that guide its IP system, including:
Paris Convention
Berne Convention
TRIPS Agreement
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
IP office
Trademark registration in Rwanda typically follows a multi-class filing system:
Applicants must file a representation of the trademark and pay prescribed fees.
A substantive examination ensures distinctiveness and verifies no conflict exists with prior trademarks.
Registrations last for 10 years from the filing date, renewable for successive 10-year periods.
Applicants must provide accurate details (name, address) and specify the classification of goods and services.
Once registered, trademark owners hold exclusive rights in Rwanda, with local recourse available for infringement cases.
Patent applications in Rwanda may be filed directly with the RDB or via ARIPO’s Harare Protocol. Patentable inventions must exhibit novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability:
A patent remains valid for 20 years from the filing date, subject to annual maintenance fees.
Applicants submit a specification, claims, and relevant technical documentation.
Substantive examination confirms compliance with Rwanda’s patentability standards.
As a contracting state of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, Rwanda allows foreign applicants to enter the national phase after an international filing.
Once granted, patent holders gain exclusive rights enforceable under Rwandan law, preventing unauthorized manufacture or sale of the invention.
Industrial designs in Rwanda safeguard the aesthetic or ornamental aspects of products. Filings may be processed nationally through the RDB or regionally via ARIPO’s industrial design protocols:
Applicants must provide representations of the design and pay official fees.
Design registrations are valid for an initial term of 5 years, renewable for two further 5-year periods (up to 15 years).
Accurate applicant details must be included to ensure valid registration.
A registered design confers the right to restrict others from producing or distributing identical or substantially similar designs in Rwanda, supplemented by ARIPO-wide coverage if designated.
This information does not constitute legal advice; it is for informational purposes only.
