Both countries require that trademark registrations on imported products be recorded with their respective trade control agencies. Failure to do so may result in customs rejecting or seizing incoming products. While Kenya reportedly allows foreign registrations to be recorded, Tanzania requires only local registrations to be recorded. This recordal is valid for one year from approval and it is renewable [...]

From January 1, 2026, also Maldives will have their own Industrial Property Office, allowing trademarks, patents, designs, and copyrights to be registered there. This will eliminate the system of cautionary notices that, up to now,  required trademark owners interested in the territory to place periodic advertisements in local newspapers. Of course, it's a good idea to register quickly before some [...]

Ethiopia joins the Paris Convention and the Madrid Protocol on International Trademarks effective August 15, 2025. The country, which previously had nearly zero IP protection, will now be subject to designation for the most important brands and for those going to be actually sold in in East Africa.

Lady Gaga launched the new Album Mayhem in March 2025, promoting it with a tour and the sale of clothing bearing this name. This was not appreciated by Lost International LLC, an American company that has been selling sport clothing since ‘80s under the Mayhem brand, which is subject to an US federal registration. In April, Lost filed an infringement [...]