April 1, 2026 in Lomé – on the sidelines of the 20th joint commission with INPI France , OAPI held a strategic meeting with the National Council of Employers of Togo – CNP Togo , bringing together around thirty business leaders and key players in the Togolese private sector around the theme “Business competitiveness: intellectual property, business model, fight against counterfeiting”.
Intellectual property, a major issue for the development of the Togolese private sector
Opening the proceedings, Laurent Coami Sedelo TAMEGNON , President of the CNP Togo, praised the strength of the partnership with OAPI. He emphasized the importance of placing intellectual property (IP) at the heart of business activities to create commercial value, particularly for SMEs , start-ups , and micro-enterprises , which represent a large part of the national entrepreneurial fabric.
However, the limited adoption of mechanisms to protect their intangible assets, particularly trademarks and patents , restricts their competitive advantage and makes them vulnerable to counterfeiting. This phenomenon has significant and rapidly increasing economic impacts, and the extent of the damage can lead to a slowdown in innovation, losses in market share, and even the discrediting of local products.
Adopting economic models that integrate IP issues in advance
The Director General of OAPI, Denis BOHOUSSOU , highlighted the challenge of addressing the low failure rate of local businesses. He presented the solutions proposed by the Organization to support them, particularly in the areas of trademark registration and awareness-raising, subsidies, and strategic monitoring, emphasizing the need for concerted action between institutional actors and the private sector.
Pascal Faure , Director General of INPI France, shared France's progress in integrating IP into business models. He illustrated how some French companies have been able to boost their growth through optimized management of their intangible assets, while also presenting the mechanisms implemented in France to combat counterfeiting , with strong involvement from the private sector.
A decisive advantage for start-ups seeking funding
The discussions also highlighted the crucial role of IP in startup funding. Protected innovation offers legal protection, reassures investors, and facilitates access to financing. This lesson was well understood by the participants, such as Médissa Sama , President of CJES Togo : “I better understand that intellectual property is a lever for competitiveness. Prior protection makes all the difference between competing companies.”
A dynamic of innovation to be encouraged
Among the inspiring figures present at this event was LOGOU Minsob , inventor of the famous FoufouMix and winner of the 4th edition of the OAPI Brand Awards. A leading figure in creativity and entrepreneurship in Togo, he amply demonstrates the importance of protecting African inventions.
A key message is emerging: intellectual property is not an administrative process, but a true strategic tool.
Trademarks, patents, and protected innovations undoubtedly constitute levers for:
✅ strengthen the competitiveness of businesses,
✅ Secure investments,
✅ Conquer new markets,
✅ to effectively combat counterfeiting.
This is a dynamic that the CNP Togo and OAPI intend to pursue, in service of a more innovative, more secure and more competitive private sector.
