Awards celebrate journalists’ role in demystifying intellectual property through storytelling
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 9th July 2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The 2025 edition of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Intellectual Property (IP) Journalists’ Awards is now open for entries. The competition calls for journalists from the 22 ARIPO Member States who report on the innovation and IP narratives. It recognizes the work of journalists who educate the African populace about IP and raise awareness on the importance of innovation and the benefits of protecting IP rights.
Now in its second year, the competition encourages quality journalism by acknowledging reporters’ excellence in shaping core values and attitudes around IP rights in Africa. Entries published by journalists from ARIPO’s 22 Member States can be submitted online by 30 August 2025. They must include at least two articles or broadcast segments produced and published or broadcast between 1 July 2024 and 15 August 2025. There is no cost to enter the competition.
According to ARIPO, “The media fraternity is a key partner in raising awareness about what IP is, how we interact with it in everyday life, and the importance of protecting the rights of creators and innovators. These narratives help our communities to foster a culture of innovation and encourage fair competition even in the entrepreneurial space, where a large number of youth are thriving. IP has economic and societal implications, and protecting it is vital in driving sustainable social and economic growth.”
Intellectual property rights are the legal rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They give the creator an exclusive right to use their creation for a period of time. Intellectual property rights usually fall into two main categories: copyright, such as the rights of creators of music, literary and artistic works, and industrial property, which consists of patents, trademarks, industrial designs, utility models, and geographical indications.
“IP rights are a part of everyday life and should be central in the discourse around emerging developmental issues,” said ARIPO. “By celebrating the journalists who explain its importance and relevance to all people and businesses, and how it influences social and commercial trends, we hope to encourage even more of the continent’s reporters to explore the topic and its implications for all Africans.”
Gosego Motsumi with the Botswana Gazette won the inaugural competition in 2024, with Bamuturaki Musinguzi with the Daily Monitor, from Uganda, and Sinda Matiko with the Nation Media Group, Kenya, scooped second and third place, respectively. The trio was awarded at a ceremony held in Lesotho and walked away with cash prizes.
ARIPO facilitates the registration of IP across a wide range of sectors in Africa. Founded in 1976, the Organization was established to pool resources for the promotion, development, and harmonization of the IP laws and policies of ARIPO Member States in addressing IP matters, to avoid the duplication of costs and human resources. Through cooperation with global partners, ARIPO supports Member States in aligning with the global standards in IP management for the economic and industrial development of the African continent.
The terms and conditions of the competition stipulate that entrants to the 2025 ARIPO IP Journalists’ Awards must be aged 18-60 and must be citizens of an ARIPO Member State. Entries and entry forms must be submitted in English or any other language spoken in the ARIPO Region, with an accompanying English translation. A portfolio of evidence, including coverage secured, must form part of the submission. News items published through paid collaborations with ARIPO and ARIPO’s partners are not eligible. For more information and details on the prizes, visit the ARIPO IP Journalism Awards information page.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of ARIPO
Notes to the Editor
About ARIPO
ARIPO is an intergovernmental organization that facilitates cooperation among its Member States in intellectual property matters. The purpose of ARIPO is to pool resources for the promotion, development, and harmonization of the IP laws and policies of ARIPO Member States. The objective of ARIPO, amongst others, is to establish common services and organs for IP coordination, development and harmonization. The Member States of ARIPO comprise Botswana, The Kingdom of Eswatini, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, The Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. You can read more about ARIPO at www.aripo.org
About the Harare Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs
The Harare Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs was adopted on 10 December 1982. The protocol empowers ARIPO to grant patents and register industrial designs and utility models on behalf of the Harare Protocol contracting states. All ARIPO Member States are signatories to this protocol except Somalia.
About the Banjul Protocol on Marks
The Banjul Protocol on Marks was adopted on 19 November 1993. The protocol empowers the Organization to register marks centrally for ARIPO Member States, its signatories. Since 1997, the protocol has been extensively revised to make it compatible with the TRIPs Agreement and the Trademark Law Treaty as well as make it more user-friendly. States currently party to the Banjul Protocol are: Botswana, Cape Verde, Kingdom of Eswatini, The Gambia Kingdom of Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, SaoTome and Principe, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
About the Swakopmund Protocol on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Folklore
The Swakopmund Protocol was adopted at a Diplomatic Conference of ARIPO August 9, 2010, in Swakopmund, Namibia. The Protocol entered into force on May 11, 2015.
ARIPO is mandated under the Swakopmund Protocol on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge and Expression of Folklore to protect traditional knowledge holders against any infringement of their rights and expressions of folklore against misappropriation, misuse and unlawful exploitation.
The Protocol has nine contracting states which are: Botswana, Cape Verde, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, The Gambia, Liberia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
About the Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants
The Arusha Protocol for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants was adopted in Arusha, the United Republic of Tanzania on 6 July 2015. The Protocol will enter into force when four States have deposited their instruments of ratification or accession. The Protocol will provide Member States with a regional plant variety protection system that recognizes the need to provide growers and farmers with improved varieties of plants to ensure sustainable agricultural production.
About the Kampala Protocol on Voluntary Registration of Copyright and Related Rights
The Kampala Protocol on Voluntary Registration of Copyright and Related Rights was adopted on 28th August 2021 at a Diplomatic Conference in Kampala, Uganda by the Council of Ministers of ARIPO Member States. Currently, twelve (12) Member States have signed the Protocol, namely: The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sao Tome & Principe, Sudan, Sierra Leone, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The Protocol will enter into force once five (5) countries deposit their instruments of ratification or accession with the Director General of ARIPO. Member States have signed the Protocol, namely: The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sao Tome & Principe, Sudan, Sierra Leone, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
For more information, visit www.aripo.org
