In commemoration of the African Technology and Intellectual Property Day (ATIP Day), the All Africa Intellectual Property Summit will convene a webinar on “Driving Regional Integration & Economic Development in Africa Through IP” on 10th September 2025 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm WAT.
ATIP Day, celebrated annually under the leadership of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), provides a timely opportunity to reflect on the role of Intellectual Property (IP) and technology in promoting innovation, economic growth, and regional cooperation across the continent.
The webinar theme is particularly relevant as Africa undergoes a technological transformation, reshaping industries, economies, and societies. Effective protection and strategic use of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) are vital to this transition, enabling competitiveness, fostering innovation, and laying the foundation for sustainable growth.
At the heart of this discussion lies OAPI’s unique regional IP system. By harmonizing intellectual property laws across its member states, OAPI reduces barriers to cross-border protection and commercialization. This unified regime not only strengthens innovation ecosystems but also complements the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by providing the legal and institutional backbone innovators and businesses need to seize the expanded opportunities created by a continental single market.
The AfCFTA, now the world’s largest free trade area by membership, seeks to create a unified market for goods and services across Africa. Its success, however, depends on more than trade liberalization; it requires strong enabling frameworks like IP to safeguard creativity, incentivize research, and facilitate technology transfer. Together, AfCFTA and OAPI form a powerful nexus for driving Africa’s integration into the global knowledge economy.
Africa’s innovation landscape already offers promising signs of this potential. From artificial intelligence (AI) and financial technology (fintech) to e-commerce, healthcare, and education, homegrown start-ups are building solutions tailored to the continent’s realities. Governments, too, are stepping up: Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa have adopted AI strategies, national digital economy policies, and data protection laws designed to foster responsible innovation and attract investment.
When these technological and policy developments converge with harmonized IP frameworks, Africa is better positioned not only to accelerate regional integration but also to emerge as a competitive player in the global innovation economy.
Join us as we explore how Africa’s innovation ecosystem, combined with strong and harmonized IP frameworks, can accelerate technological and economic development in Africa.
Meet the Speaker Line-Up:
🔹 Fatou Camara – Head of Intellectual Property Service, Groupe Sonatel. Lawyer and OAPI-accredited IP attorney.
An accomplished jurist and OAPI-accredited IP attorney with over a decade of experience. She will explore “IP Financing and Investment: Unlocking Capital for Startups and SMEs Across Africa.”
🔹 Obambi Wilfrid Vivien – Magistrate, Court of Appeal of Dolisie (Congo); Deputy Secretary, (Secrétaire adjoint du Réseau Africain des Magistrats de propriété intellectuelle )RAMPI
A leading figure in IP law and Magistrate Counsellor at the Court of Appeal of Dolisie (Congo). He will discuss “Strengthening Cross-Border IP Protection and Enforcement: A Case for Regional Cooperation in Africa.”
🔹 Michèle Tatiana Ampfounyele – Head Intellectual Property Department at Maître Cheikh Fall Law Firm, and OAPI accredited agent in Senegal.
Specialist in industrial property within the OAPI region. She will highlight “The OAPI Approved Agent: A Key Player in the Development of Industrial Property in the OAPI Area.”
🔹 Annie Ndo’o – Officer at the Ministry of Trade (Cameroon), Expert on TRIPS-related issues and the AfCFTA framework.
She will share insights on “Harmonizing IP Laws Across Africa: Pathways to Regional Integration under AfCFTA.”
The panel will be moderated by Mamadou Siradjo Diallo, an IP lawyer at Louis Vuitton and OAPI accredited IP attorney.
💡 Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable perspectives from experts shaping Africa’s IP ecosystem.
📅 Date: 10th September 2025
🕒 Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm WAT.
📍Venue: Online – Scan the QR code below to register
