Overview
Sierra Leone safeguards patents and industrial designs through a combination of national laws and its membership in the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO). As a contracting party to the Harare Protocol, applicants may file for patents and industrial designs either directly with the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General at the national level or via ARIPO by designating Sierra Leone in their applications.
Trademark protection, however, is governed solely by national legislation, as Sierra Leone is not a party to the Banjul Protocol, which facilitates regional trademark registration through ARIPO. Therefore, applicants seeking trademark registration must file directly with the national office.
Sierra Leone’s intellectual property framework aligns with recognized international standards, providing both local and foreign applicants with avenues to register and enforce their rights. Rights holders can pursue legal and administrative remedies in cases of infringement, ensuring a degree of legal certainty and protection within the country.
If you need further information on filing procedures or enforcement mechanisms in Sierra Leone, feel free to ask.
International Conventions
Sierra Leone is party to various treaties that influence its IP regulations, including:
Paris Convention
Berne Convention
TRIPS Agreement
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
IP office
Trademark applications in Sierra Leone typically follow a single-class approach when filed directly with the national office. ARIPO’s Banjul Protocol offers a regional route for multi-jurisdiction coverage.
A clear reproduction of the trademark and payment of official fees are required.
Substantive examination determines distinctiveness and checks for any conflict with existing marks.
Registrations remain valid for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed in 10-year increments.
Applicants must accurately provide personal and contact details, alongside a description of goods or services in one class;
When registration is complete, trademark owners gain exclusive rights to use the mark in Sierra Leone, with the ability to challenge unauthorized usage through national courts.
Patents in Sierra Leone may be filed either directly through the national procedure or via ARIPO’s Harare Protocol for broader coverage. Patentable inventions must demonstrate novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.
Patents remain in force for 20 years from the filing date, subject to payment of annual maintenance fees.
Applicants submit a specification, claims, and relevant technical documentation.
A substantive examination confirms the invention’s patentability under Sierra Leone’s legal standards.
As the country is a PCT contracting state, foreign applicants can also enter the national phase in Sierra Leone following an international application.
Granted patents empower inventors to exclude others from exploiting their inventions without authorization.
Industrial design protections in Sierra Leone secure the decorative or ornamental aspects of articles. Applicants can file directly at the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General or pursue design registration through ARIPO where applicable.
Applicants must submit drawings or representations of the design and pay official fees.
Design registrations typically last for an initial term of five years, renewable twice for a total of 15 years.
Complete applicant details must be provided to ensure a valid registration.
Once registered, designs are enforceable in Sierra Leone, providing the owner with the exclusive right to control unauthorized imitation or marketing of the protected design.
This information does not constitute legal advice; it is for informational purposes only.
