Quick Info guide on Patenting services in The Gambia

Patenting assessment criteria

Completed forms are sent to the Registrar General’s Department to be stamped with a file in date and to be assessed in two areas; formality examination and substantive examination.

  1. Formality examination means form to completed according to required standards with product description, claim, drawing and abstract.
  2. Substantive examination means form is evaluated by an expert at the Africa Intellectual Property Organisation in Harare for technical suitability.

When both examinations are passed, the patent is issued and is valid for 20 years with a renewal period of every one year at the rate of D1,000.00 for annual maintenance.

 

Contact Information

Registrar General department,

Attorney's General Chambers

Ministry of Justice

Marina Parade

Banjul

Tel: +00220 3141005

Patenting services in The Gambia

The classification, grant and publication of patents in the Gambia as well as the maintenance of classified search files is made in accordance with the Strasbourg Agreement of 1971, which is revised from time to time

Application for patenting is done at the Ministry of Justice at the Registrar General’s office. Form P1 is available upon request free of charge and applicants are required to complete this form with a payment of D5,000 once approval is granted.

 

The entire process takes about two to three months.

 

Other Services offered by the Organization

The Registrar General also organizes intellectual property training and trademarks sending women to attending conferences abroad. Officials of the Department also attend Trade Shows advertising women entrepreneurs on intellectual property.

Every year in April, a seminar for intellectual property day is organized where women participants get invited.

 

Patenting Laws

There is the Industrial Property Act Cap. 95:01 and the Industrial Property Regulations 2010, which can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice.