Denis BOHOUSSOU, Director General of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), officially launched the 5th edition of the OAPI Brand Awards . This major event will take place from October 8 to 10 under the evocative theme: "Brands: A Lever for Business Performance."
The launch press conference, held in Libreville, Gabon, was a great success with both national and international media. Alongside the Director General, Denis BOHOUSSOU, those present included:
- The advisor to the Minister of Industry and Local Transformation
- The Vice-President of the Confederation of Gabonese Enterprises
- The Director General of the Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture, Industry, Mines and Crafts of Gabon
This strong mobilization demonstrates the importance attached to this event by Gabonese economic and institutional actors.
For the Director General of OAPI, the choice of the theme "Brands: A Lever for Business Performance" stems directly from the lessons learned from audits conducted by OAPI in partnership with the French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) during previous editions. These audits revealed a clear conclusion: while companies are increasingly protecting their brands, they do not always fully exploit them as strategic growth assets. However, a well-valued brand can represent a significant element of goodwill whose value sometimes exceeds the company's physical assets.
He noted that in the context of globalization and with the advent of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), protecting and exploiting a brand is not a luxury but an absolute necessity for the competitiveness and expansion of African businesses.
He also invited all companies in the Member States, particularly those present in Gabon, to seize this unique opportunity to apply to this entirely free competition.
It is important to remember that OAPI, the organization responsible for the protection and promotion of intellectual property in 17 African states, represents a dynamic market of over 200 million consumers. These countries possess considerable development potential with a particularly vibrant entrepreneurial sector, where thousands of businesses are created every year.
