The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is aimed at reshaping how businesses operate across Africa. In this Managing IP podcast, Adams & Adams partners Mohamed Jameel Hamid and Alicia van der Walt demystify the agreement and provide a roadmap for protecting trademarks on the continent.
The AfCFTA agreement creates the largest free trade area in the world, covering 1.3 billion people and with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. For intellectual property (IP) owners, Jameel notes, increased intra-African trade means greater exposure – making robust, forward-looking trademark strategies more critical than ever.
The Intellectual Property Rights Protocol of the AfCFTA is also highlighted. Adopted in 2023, the protocol’s goal is to harmonise IP frameworks across the continent. Jameel stresses that businesses should prepare for greater alignment and enhanced border measures in the years ahead.
Turning to trademark protection in practice, Alicia presents a concise guide to the African filing landscape. She explains the strengths and limitations of Africa’s two regional IP systems – the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) – as well as the variable reliability of the Madrid System. The advice is clear: national filings remain the “golden standard”, particularly in first-to-file jurisdictions and markets where enforcement challenges persist.
As Africa’s trading environment evolves, both speakers say that brand owners who plan early and file smartly will be best placed to unlock the continent’s increasing opportunities while mitigating risk.
Listen to the podcast now to hear the full discussion.
The speakers
Alicia van der Walt
Partner, Adams & Adams
(Click below to read Alicia's profile)
Alicia is a partner in the trademarks department at Adams & Adams. She specialises in all aspects of trademark registration and portfolio management, including clearance, availability, registrability and infringement searches, and trademark prosecution, recordal, and maintenance in all African countries, as well as various other territories worldwide.
Alicia has negotiated intellectual property (IP)-related agreements for clients in industries such as banking, consumer goods, electronics, and IT, and facilitated IP-related due diligence investigations as part of commercial transactions. She has been involved in successful outcomes before the registrar of trademarks, the Companies Tribunal, the Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa, and the Supreme Court of Appeal, as well as rulings by the Advertising Regulatory Board and the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) as an accredited dispute resolution provider under the .za Alternate Dispute Resolution Regulations.
Alicia is a fellow of the SAIIPL and a member of the South African Trade Mark Law Committee.
Mohamed Jameel Hamid
Partner, Adams & Adams
(Click below to read Jameel's profile)
Jameel is a qualified attorney and trademark practitioner specialising in the filing and prosecution of trademarks throughout the world, with a special focus on Africa. He is experienced at conducting portfolio reviews and developing trademark strategies, having spent a number of years in intellectual property litigation, prior to joining the trademark prosecution team. Serving a broad local and international client base, Jameel has experience in litigation relating to trademarks, copyright, passing-off, unlawful competition, domain name disputes, and company/business name objections.
He completed his BA and LLB degrees at North-West University in Potchefstroom, and is an admitted attorney and a qualified South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law trademark practitioner. Jameel is a recipient of the Chris Job award (an intra-firm prize) for the best results in the Trade Mark Practitioner Examination.
