Abstract: | This paper examines the legislative history of patent and trade mark laws of English-speaking Africa, specifically Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also describes the existing structure of patent and trademark offices in these countries, the need for harmonization of laws in order to sustain a regional patent office within the African Regional Industrial Property Organization (ARIPO), and possible problems which may be encountered by ARIPO in the regional project. Ref. |