Kenya

Nairobi is the commercial hub of East Africa and a focal point for trademark activity in the region. Domestic companies are pouring more resources into the protection and enforcement of their intellectual property, which has led to an increase in both local and regional filings and the volume of oppositions being lodged. Kenya is an attractive market for multinationals in which to protect and enforce their trademark rights because of the quick turnaround time on trademark registrations and the increasing levels of IP specialisation in the judiciary. In addition, the new Anti-counterfeiting Agency – established under the 2008 Anti-counterfeiting Act – is now fully operational and is acting aggressively to tackle the problem of counterfeiting, proving a boon to brand owners. For rights holders, there is no shortage of choice when it comes to external legal counsel in the Kenyan market.