Libreville, October 8, 2025 – Africa is making a bold statement about its brand culture. The African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) has officially launched the 5th edition of the OAPI Brand Awards, a flagship event dedicated to promoting the identity, innovation, and competitiveness of African businesses.
This edition opened with two highlights: the launch of the Awareness Caravan on the importance of intellectual property, and a lunch debate around the evocative theme: "The brand, luxury or necessity for a business?" These initiatives highlighted the strategic role of brands in the economic transformation of the continent.
Gabonese Minister of Industry and Local Transformation, Mr. Lubin Ntoutoume, reiterated with conviction that "intellectual property is not a luxury reserved for large multinational companies, but a tool for economic development accessible to all." A strong message, which resonates with the ambitions of OAPI.
OAPI Director General Denis Bohoussou emphasized that "the brand is a strategic asset, the main channel through which African innovations reach consumers." This statement perfectly illustrates OAPI's vision: to make intellectual property a sustainable lever for growth, employment, and competitiveness in the African region.
The event continues on October 9 with the gala dinner, an emblematic moment of this edition, during which the winners of the OAPI 2025 Brand Awards will be unveiled.
