Rwanda: Patent

Patent applications in Rwanda may be filed directly with the RDB or via ARIPO’s Harare Protocol. Patentable inventions must exhibit novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability:

• A patent remains valid for 20 years from the filing date, subject to annual maintenance fees.

• Applicants submit a specification, claims, and relevant technical documentation.

• Substantive examination confirms compliance with Rwanda’s patentability standards.

• As a contracting state of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, Rwanda allows foreign applicants to enter the national phase after an international filing.

Once granted, patent holders gain exclusive rights enforceable under Rwandan law, preventing unauthorized manufacture or sale of the invention.