Budaza and Mashifane Inc

30/04/2026

17/04/2026

Africa's best brands

17/04/2026

What is a Trademark?

A trademark includes any word, name, symbol, device (or combination) used in commerce to identify and distinguish the goods or services of one seller from those sold by others. Trademarks provide valuable intellectual property rights, helping organizations make their brand known and enabling them to license it to others.

A registered trademark deters counterfeiters from confusing the marketplace with a similar trademark or trying to make money by using your trademark.

Additionally, trademarked materials can be used to efficiently communicate the values and ideals your brand represents and imbue those same values to products and services bearing your trademark.

Examples of valuable and famous trademarks include Google, Microsoft, IBM, Apple logo, and Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan.

09/04/2026

Somalia: Strategic Updates to Somalia’s Intellectual Property Framework and Fee Reductions:

The trademarks office in Somalia has adjusted the filing requirements by eliminating the need of a notarized declaration of ownership and also reduced the official fees for trademarks registration and renewal. The Somalian office has also introduced for the first time recordal services of trademarks such as assignment and change of name and address. These changes represent a significant modernization of the local intellectual property framework, ensuring that the trademark registration and requirements have become even more smoother and handy for all international and local applicants.

In addition to these trademark updates, the respective authorities in Somalia are on the verge of officially introducing comprehensive systems for patents and industrial designs. While the official fees for these categories have already been established, we are awaiting the formal publication of the operational procedures. We are monitoring these developments closely and will communicate further updates regarding these services as soon as they are officially launched.

For any further information on the above, please contact Budaza and Mashifane Inc at [email protected]