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Why few innovators file patents
Ambassador Francis Butagira talks to URSB Registrar General during the engagement on patents. PHOTO/ BETTY NDAGIRE
What you need to know:
The low registration rate is largely due to the challenges surrounding the high level of scrutiny required during the examination process for patents.
Uganda registered only one patent in 2024, according to Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) out of the 40 patents in total.
High impact innovations, if patented, offer a good return on time, effort and money invested in developing the technology.
In the realm of innovation, patents hold greater significance than other intellectual property types, as they represent the essence of novel ideas and inventions.
"A patent can be something as simple as a zipper, which we use on our clothes. It is patented. Door hinges and many other everyday items are also patented. Innovation is something with no clear formula. Sometimes, the government invests money in what they consider to be innovative, but it doesn’t achieve its intended purpose," said Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao.
When Daily Monitor inquired why Ugandans are not registering patents which are key to innovation, Ms Mercy Kainobwisho, the Registrar General at URSB said generally few patents are registered each year due to the challenges posed by the rigorous examination process, known as substantive examination, required for patent approval.
When Daily Monitor inquired about the low number of patent registrations by Ugandans, which are crucial for innovation, Ms Kainobwisho, explained that the country typically sees the registration of only one, two, or three patents annually.
The low registration rate, she noted, is largely due to the challenges surrounding the high level of scrutiny required during the substantive examination process for patents. Despite these hurdles, she expressed optimism.
She said, "There are many applications in the pipeline. We have established infrastructure to ensure that these patents are thoroughly examined. Since we are members of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), the examination process takes place there, as per the arrangement.
URSB board chairman Ambassador Francis ButagiraHe affirmed URSB's commitment to ease doing business in Uganda and enhance creativity and innovation by protecting intellectual property to allow commercialisation of inventions for the benefit of artists like musicians.
Uganda still performs well, particularly in safeguarding intellectual property, which includes copyrights, patents, and trademarks. As of 2024, Uganda has registered 2,747 trademarks, 100 copyrights, 11 industrial designs, and four utility models.
