Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Property Law in Africa

This book discusses the impact of intellectual property and international investment agreements within Africa. It investigates how African nations can enhance their current intellectual property legislation across various regions of the continent, while simultaneously fostering the development of local industries and stimulating innovation and creativity within the region.

Despite intellectual property remaining a major issue in global trade governance, African countries have room to maximise the advantages that global intellectual property law can offer. Highlighting discourse on investment, intellectual property, and competition policies in Africa, the book underscores the need for African nations to develop intellectual property frameworks that can facilitate economic transformation. Using data from international intellectual property conventions, WTO dispute settlements and African regional organisation conventions, the book is a comprehensive call to action for African intellectual property lawyers and policymakers.

The book will be of interest to students and scholars in the field of intellectual property law and international investment law.

Olasupo Owoeye is a Senior Lecturer in Law at Massey University, New Zealand, a stipendiary Researcher at Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition Law, Munich, Germany and a Visiting Professor of Law at Lead City University, Nigeria. He is a law academic with research expertise in Intellectual Property Law and International Human Rights Law, especially Health and Development Rights. He was a Humboldt Research Fellow and Humboldt Alumni Fellow at the University of Augsburg, Germany between 2015 and 2023. He was also a Visiting Scholar at SOAS University of London in 2023. He is the founder of LAYEBS LAW, a law practice with offices in Australia and Nigeria.