Factsheet: Intellectual Property Rights and Industrialization

Industrialization is central to Africa’s long-term development prospects. However, the continent remains the least industrialized region globally, characterized by a narrow industrial base. South Africa is currently the only African country categorized as industrialized, while 45 out of 54 countries continue to rely heavily on the export of raw materials—particularly agricultural commodities, minerals, and fossil fuels. This underscores the urgent need for economic diversification through the promotion of scientific and technological innovation, supported by robust intellectual property (IP) rights protection.

The advancement of science, technology, and innovation (STI) is a key driver of industrialization. IP rights are closely linked to this process, as they incentivize and protect innovation, thereby playing a critical role in fostering industrial development. Among the various forms of IP, patents, industrial designs, and utility models (or petty patents) are particularly relevant to industrial policy frameworks due to their applicability in protecting technical and design-related innovations.

This factsheet provides an overview of Africa’s industrialization landscape, exploring the linkages between innovation and industrial development through global and regional indexes. It also offers a snapshot of key industrialization-related IP indicators to inform policies aimed at leveraging IP for structural economic transformation.

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Available in full colour (English)