OAPI

What OAPI does

OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle) is a regional intergovernmental intellectual property organization headquartered in Yaoundé, Cameroon, established in 1977 under the Bangui Agreement (revised 2015-12-14), and serving 17 African member states across West Africa, Central Africa, and the Indian Ocean. The organization operates a centralized registration system for industrial property titles covering patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial designs, commercial names, plant breeders' rights, and geographical indications, with a single filing producing multi-country protection. Its technology platform comprises integrated digital databases for IP searches and a recently launched online jurisprudential database, supplemented by WIPO diagnostic tools. Beyond registration, OAPI runs the Acad\u00e9mie de Propri\u00e9t\u00e9 Intellectuelle Denis Ekani (APIDE) for professional training, the Commission Sup\u00e9rieure de Recours for dispute resolution, and the PFPSPI programme for IP-backed project financing.

The organization's revenue model combines member state contributions with pay-as-you-go fees for filings, publications, searches, certifications, appeals, and extensions to international systems (Madrid Protocol, Hague Agreement), with fees denominated in FCFA and published per IP category. Distribution is delivered through the Yaound\u00e9 headquarters, a network of National Liaison Structures in each member state, digital self-service databases, and presence at major regional trade events. OAPI's primary customers are SMEs, individual inventors, women entrepreneurs, agricultural cooperatives, and judicial institutions across member states, with partnerships spanning WIPO, EUIPO, INPI France, CNIPA (China), UNFPA, and national research institutes that conduct DHS plant variety examinations. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Director General Denis L. Bohoussou, with 122 employees and no external private investors.

Name

OAPI

Legal name

Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle

Website

https://oapi.int

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

OAPI is the regional intergovernmental intellectual property office for 17 African member states, providing centralized registration of patents, trademarks, designs, plant varieties, and geographical indications under the Bangui Agreement, alongside training, dispute resolution, and IP-backed financing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Yaoundé

HQ country

Cameroon

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. IP Registration and Filing Fees: Fees collected for filing and examination of patents, trademarks, industrial designs, utility models, commercial names, plant variety certificates, and geographical indications. Fee schedules are published for each IP category with specific amounts based on document length and service type.
2. Administrative Fees: Various administrative fees including publication charges, search fees, certification fees, register inscription/removal fees, appeal fees, and extension fees to/from member states
3. International Systems Fees: Fees related to Madrid Protocol (international trademarks) and Hague Agreement (industrial designs) extensions through OAPI

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

OAPI provides centralized industrial property registration and management services across 17 African member states under the Bangui Agreement. Its core offerings cover filing, examination, and grant of patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial designs, commercial names, plant breeders' rights, and geographical indications, with a single filing producing protection in all member states. Beyond registration, OAPI runs IP litigation/dispute resolution, a professional training academy (APIDE), and financing programs that channel capital to IP-backed innovation projects.

Product overview

OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle) is a regional intellectual property office serving 17 African member states. The organization operates a centralized system for managing industrial property titles including patents (Brevet d'Invention), utility models, trademarks (Marques), industrial designs (Dessins et Modèles Industriels), commercial names, plant breeders' rights (Obtentions Végétales), and geographical indications (Indications Géographiques). Beyond registration services, OAPI provides IP dispute resolution through administrative and judicial channels, professional training via the Académie de Propriété Intellectuelle Denis Ekani (APIDE), and financing mechanisms for innovation through programs like PFPSPI. The organization maintains searchable databases for patents, trademarks, industrial designs, commercial names, and jurisprudence, while also hosting events such as the SAIIT salon and Brand Awards competition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• APIDE (Académie de Propriété Intellectuelle Denis Ekani): The intellectual property academy named after Denis Ekani, providing professional training and certification programs in intellectual property.
• AFPI (Autonomisation économique des femmes par l'innovation et l'accès à la propriété intellectuelle)

Products and services

• Patent Registration (Brevet d'Invention) Centralized patent filing, examination, and grant service covering invention patents and certificates of addition, providing enforceable protection in all 17 OAPI member states through a single application. Targeted at inventors, researchers, and companies.
• Trademark Registration (Marque) Centralized trademark filing and registration for product and service marks, including extensions under the Madrid Protocol for international protection. Targeted at brands, SMEs, and companies operating in or exporting to OAPI member states.
• Utility Model Registration (Modèle d'Utilité) Utility model registration providing protection for minor inventions via a shorter examination procedure than patents, valid across the 17 OAPI member states. Targeted at inventors and SMEs seeking faster, lower-cost protection.
• Industrial Design Registration (Dessin et Modèle Industriel) Registration of the ornamental and aesthetic aspects of products, with extension capability through the Hague Agreement for international design protection. Targeted at designers, manufacturers, and creative enterprises.
• Commercial Name Registration (Nom Commercial) Registration and protection of commercial names used to identify businesses across the 17 OAPI member states. Targeted at SMEs, startups, and trading companies.
• Plant Breeders' Rights (Obtentions Végétales) Protection of new plant varieties through plant breeders' rights, supported by DHS examinations at accredited centers. Targeted at plant breeders, agricultural research institutes, and seed companies.
• Geographical Indication Registration (Indication Géographique) Registration and protection of geographical indications for products whose quality, reputation, or characteristics are essentially attributable to their geographic origin. Targeted at agricultural cooperatives, producer groups, and regional authorities.
• Title Management Services (Gestion des Titres) Administrative management of all industrial property titles including renewals, modifications, register inscriptions and removals, and ongoing maintenance. Targeted at existing OAPI title holders.
• IP Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Contentieux de la PI) Administrative and judicial intellectual property dispute resolution services, including opposition proceedings, appeals before the Higher Appeals Commission (Commission Supérieure de Recours), and unfair competition matters. Targeted at IP rights holders, opposing parties, and judicial actors.
• Académie de Propriété Intellectuelle Denis Ekani (APIDE)

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 geographical indications registered across 6 countries with Poivre de Penja also recognized by European Union
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OMPIC (Morocco)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2026Bilateral meeting partner during WIPO General Assemblies 2026 for strengthening international cooperation.
• JPO (Japan Patent Office)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2026Bilateral meeting partner during WIPO General Assemblies 2026 for cooperation strengthening.
• UNFPA Burkina FasocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Partnership for the AFPI project (Economic Empowerment of Women through Innovation and Access to Intellectual Property). Joint activities include IP training for women entrepreneurs and support for agribusiness sector.
• INPI France (National Institute of Industrial Property)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 202620th Joint Commission for cooperation. INPI France shares best practices on IP integration into business models and anti-counterfeiting measures. Supports training for judiciary on IP litigation.
• European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2025Partnership through the AfriPI project (Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa). Jointly deploys mentorship programs for African SMEs and conducts training workshops on IP management.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (OMPI/WIPO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation partner for intellectual property standards, tools, and frameworks. OAPI participates in WIPO assemblies, uses WIPO diagnostic tools, and collaborates on capacity building initiatives.
• Centre National de la Recherche Agronomique (CNRA) Côte d'IvoireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four accredited centers for conducting Distinctness, Homogeneity, and Stability (DHS) examinations of plant varieties.
• Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) Burkina FasominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited center for DHS plant variety examinations under OAPI framework.
• Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA) SenegalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited center for DHS plant variety examinations under OAPI framework.
• Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD) CameroonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited center for DHS plant variety examinations under OAPI framework.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• INPI France (Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle): France's national IP office and OAPI's longest-standing bilateral partner (20th Joint Commission). Comparable on the IP registration/training/enforcement mandate, and a reference model for integrating IP into business strategy and anti-counterfeiting programs.
• EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office): Regional IP office providing EU-wide trademark and design registration through a centralized system — structurally analogous to OAPI's Bangui Agreement model. Active AfriPI partner; benchmarks for examination quality, digital tooling, and SME engagement programs.
• USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office): Largest national IP office globally. Operates patent and trademark registration systems that OAPI's services parallel in form (examination, publication, maintenance), with extensive APIs and AI tooling that OAPI's digital infrastructure lags behind.
• WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization): Global IP body and OAPI's most important strategic partner (uses WIPO diagnostic tools, participates in WIPO assemblies). Operates the PCT, Madrid, and Hague systems that OAPI plugs into; comparable in mandate (international IP administration) but vastly larger in scope and resources.
• European Patent Office (EPO): Regional patent-granting authority for Europe under the European Patent Convention. Comparable to OAPI on regional patent administration and on the patent examination/prosecution workflow, though operating at much higher volume and sophistication.
• CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration): China's national IP office and OAPI bilateral partner for traditional medicine and plant-based remedies research collaboration. Comparable in scope (patents, trademarks, designs, GIs) and a model for high-volume examination throughput.
• JPO (Japan Patent Office): Japan's national IP office and OAPI bilateral cooperation partner (WIPO General Assemblies 2026). Comparable on patent/trademark/design registration mandate and on advanced examination practice, particularly in technology-intensive filings.

Direct peers

• ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization): Directly comparable regional African IP office administering patents, trademarks, and designs across a partially overlapping set of African member states. Both organizations offer centralized regional IP registration under treaty frameworks (Bangui Agreement vs. Harare Protocol), competing for pan-African filers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@oapioapi3528
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oapi-linkedin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OAPI