Overview
Liberia provides for the protection of trademarks, patents, and industrial designs through local legislation and oversight by the Liberia Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The country is a member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and has acceded to both the Harare Protocol (covering patents and industrial designs) and the Banjul Protocol (covering trademarks). Accordingly, applicants may secure protection in Liberia either through direct national filings or via the ARIPO regional system by designating Liberia in their applications.
Liberia’s IP framework continues to evolve in line with broader international standards. Despite administrative delays that may occur, both local and foreign applicants benefit from recognized legal mechanisms to enforce their intellectual property rights in cases of infringement.
International Conventions
Liberia is party to several global agreements that shape its IP landscape, including:
Paris Convention
Berne Convention
TRIPS Agreement
Liberia is not a contracting state to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).