Namibia

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General Information

  • Area: Approximately 824 500 km2
  • Population: 2.2 million
  • Capital: Windhoek
  • Currency: Namibian Dollar
  • GDP:  $ 14.64 billion (2010)
  • Domain name extension: .na
  • Languages: English (official language), Afrikaans, German, Khoekhoe (Nama), Herero, Ovambo
  • Exports:  Diamonds; copper; gold; zinc; lead; uranium; cattle; processed fish; karakul skins
  • Imports:  Foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel; machinery and equipment; chemicals

International / Regional conventions:

  • Banjul Protocol (of ARIPO)
  • Berne Convention
  • Hague Agreement on Designs
  • Madrid Agreement on Marks
  • Madrid Protocol on Marks
  • Paris Convention
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty
  • WIPO Convention
  • WTO/TRIPS

Trade Mark Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Madrid Agreement:      Yes

Paris Union:                Yes

Types of Trade Marks:

Goods and services

Certification marks

Defensive marks

Classification:

The International Classification of Goods and Services (Nice Classification) is applied.

Filing Requirements:

Particulars of Applicant (name, address and nationality)

Simply signed Power of Attorney

Representation of the mark

List of goods and / or services

Certified copy of the priority document. (Namibia is a member of the Paris Convention, but the substantive law has not been amended to allow priority claims. Foreign applicants often claim priority, in case priority rights are recognised)

Duration:

The trade mark is registered 10 years from the filing date

Renewal:
Renewable every 10 years

Patent Information

International and Regional Arrangements:

Paris Convention:  Yes

PCT:  Yes (national phase deadline is 31 months from the priority date)

ARIPO:  Yes (see ARIPO requirements for designating Namibia in an ARIPO application)

OAPI:  No

Filing Requirements:

Published PCT application or specification, claims and abstract in English (required on day of filing)

Power of Attorney, simply signed (no set deadline)

Assignment of Invention (no set deadline)

Copy of International Search Report and International Preliminary Report on Patentability for national phase applications (no set deadline)

Novelty
Absolute novelty is required
Patentability
N/A
Excess Fees:
None
Examination:
As to form only
Term of Patent:
14 years from the effective filing date, which can be extended up to 7 years
Renewals:
Payable on the 3rd, 7th and 10th anniversary of the effective filing date

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