Patents in Sierra Leone may be filed either directly through the national procedure or via ARIPO’s Harare Protocol for broader coverage. Patentable inventions must demonstrate novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability.
Patents remain in force for 20 years from the filing date, subject to payment of annual maintenance fees.
Applicants submit a specification, claims, and relevant technical documentation.
A substantive examination confirms the invention’s patentability under Sierra Leone’s legal standards.
As the country is a PCT contracting state, foreign applicants can also enter the national phase in Sierra Leone following an international application.
Granted patents empower inventors to exclude others from exploiting their inventions without authorization.