The OAPI treaty includes trademark protection in the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo.

For this territory, we work with a trusted local legal partner to ensure that the trademark services we provide are both time-efficient and cost-effective. Our collaborator in Cameroon is Lynda Amadagana of Amadagana & Partners (A&P), https://amadaganapartners.com.

Lynda Amadagana is an attorney and founder of A&P, bringing over 15 years of experience in legal practice. A&P is a modern and innovative business law firm based in Yaounde, Cameroon, with a second office in Paris. The firm has a recognised expertise in OHADA business law and the energy, mining, infrastructure and finance sectors. Lynda has extensive experience in corporate operations, project development and project finance in the energy mining and infrastructure sectors as well as in intellectual property in Africa, with a specific focus on the OHADA zone (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Togo). Concerning trademarks, the firm assists with every stage of the registration, protection, and enforcement for both domestic and international clients.

Additionally, Lynda is adept in handling powers of attorney, notarisation, and other formalities specific to Cameroon’s legal requirements and international protocols. They are fluent in both English and French, enabling clear communication and streamlined cooperation with global clients and partners. Recognised for their professionalism, responsiveness, and expertise, A7P is a trusted figure in Cameroon’s legal and IP landscape. At Trademarkroom, we work closely with them to make sure your intellectual property rights are thoroughly protected, and the application process is as smooth and straightforward as possible.

The importance of Trademark searches
Trademark searches are a vital first step in developing a secure and enforceable mark. Think of them as your brand’s early warning system, helping you identify potential conflicts before they escalate into legal issues. Just like checking a map before a journey, trademark searches help ensure you’re not stepping into a path already claimed by someone else. A thorough search not only enables you to avoid infringement claims but also strengthens the success rate of your application.

Trademark Registration Services through the OAPI

Registering your trademark gives you the legal basis to take action against infringement, strengthens your market position, and safeguards your mark’s value. It ensures you have exclusive rights to use your mark, adding credibility and assurance for your customers and business partners.

The trademark regulation in force in Cameroon is the Bangui Agreement Bamako Act of 2015, established by the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI). This Bangui Agreement Bamako Act serves as national intellectual property law both in Cameroon and in the sixteen (16) other OAPI member states. Under the terms of the Bangui Agreement Bamako Act and its administrative instructions, registration of a trademark at OAPI involves both direct and indirect procedures.
Under the direct procedure, anyone wishing to register a trademark must apply directly to OAPI, either in person, by email, or by mail.

The indirect procedure involves applying the national liaison structures established by OAPI in each member country.
These national liaising structures, which are local branches of OAPI, will then transfer the file to OAPI for processing. This procedure is generally envisioned by users who do not reside in Cameroon, where OAPI’s headquarters is located, but it is becoming increasingly less common. The trademark registration certificate grants the owner exclusive exploitation rights, effective in the seventeen OAPI member states, for a period of ten (10) years, renewable successively every ten (10) years. The trademark registration procedure requires formalities relating to payment, completion of the form and signature of a power of attorney. Indeed, payment of filing and other fees is one of the first formalities to be completed during the trademark registration procedure, as the payment slip is part of the file to be compiled and subsequently filed with OAPI. This is also the case for the M301 form, which serves as an application for registration and must be completed by a professional. Finally, power of attorney must be granted by any non-resident (natural person with a nationality other than that of an OAPI member state or legal entity whose rules are governed by a law other than that of an OAPI member state) to a professional (lawyer or OAPI-accredited agent) to act on his customer’s behalf. This formality is essential as if a non-resident files a trademark application without a lawyer or an OAPI-approved agent, the application will be immediately rejected.

Our fees are subject to VAT and may vary depending on your specific needs. The standard fee quoted applies to one mark in one class of goods or services. Additional classes or complex cases may result in increased costs. Please note that not all names or logos are registrable, and all applications involve an element of risk. While we do everything possible to increase your chances