Global IP Matrix - Issue 8

The media giant CNN reported some of the
remarkable innovations that could change the
world. 9
The examples reported include the following:
• “3D printing is gaining traction in
Africa. In 2013, the WoeLabs tech hub in
Togo made the first “Made in Africa” 3D
printer from e-waste. They want to use
the 3D printer to revolutionise Africa.
They’re starting by putting a machine in
every school within 1km of the workshop.
Buni Hub is another tech center, based in
Tanzania that is building a 3D printer.
• Pneumonia is a deadly condition. It’s
responsible for 16% of all deaths of
children under five. A main contributing
factor to this is slow diagnosis. Ugandan
inventor Brian Turyabagye has created a
biomedical smart jacket that can diagnose
the condition four times faster than a
doctor. It’s also more accurate. It analyzes
the chest and then sends the information
via Bluetooth to a smartphone app.
• African countries are developing
groundbreaking technology for space
exploration. Look no further than the
Square Kilometer Array (SKA) in South
Africa, which, once completed, is set to be
the world’s largest telescope. It will allow
scientists to look many times deeper into
space.
Center The (TISC) United program Republic to of provide Tanzania innovators has been with one access of the to beneficiaries locally based, of the high-quality project. In addition,
technology the government, information through and related the services, Commission helping of them Science to exploit and their innovative potential
and to create, protect and manage their intellectual property rights. 10 Technology Tanzania (COSTECH)
in cooperation with WIPO, together with Japan Patent Organization (JPO) and Business
The United Republic of Tanzania has been one of the beneficiaries of the project. In addition,
the government, Registration through and Licensing the Commission Agency of Tanzania Science and (BRELLA), Technology have Tanzania developed (COSTECH) a department in to deal
cooperation with WIPO, together with Japan Patent Organization (JPO) and Business Registration
with intellectual property rights for local innovators and scientists called the Technology and
and Licensing Agency Tanzania (BRELLA), have developed a department to deal with intellectual
property Innovation rights for Support local innovators Centre (TISC). and scientists 11 Tanzania called the has Technology also engaged and Innovation in other Support support measures,
Centre (TISC). 11 Tanzania has also engaged in other support measures, which include funding
researchers, which include innovators, funding and start-ups. researchers, The result innovators, of such and government start-ups. support The result is the improved of such government
ranking of Tanzania in the Global Innovation Index 2020, with a remarkable innovation output,
ranking support second is in the Sub-Sahara improved Africa, ranking as shown of Tanzania in the selected in the comparative Global Innovation table and graph Index below. 2020, with a
remarkable innovation output, ranking second in Sub-Sahara Africa, as shown in the selected
comparative table and graph below.
TABLE 1: INNOVATION INPUT AND OUTPUT
COUNTRY
INNOVATION INPUT
SCORE
(0-100)
GLOBAL
RANKING
REGION
AL
RANKIN
G
INNOVATION OUTPUT
SCOR
E (0-
100)
GLOBAL
RANKING
REGIONAL
RANKING
Mauritius 45.77 47 1 22.94 60 1
South Africa 44.85 49 2 20.48 68 3
Kenya 35.03 92 5 17.22 78 4
Botswana 38.09 84 4 12.77 105 11
Innovation thrives in an environment where
it is encouraged. The Business and Industry
Advisory Committee to the OECD notes
that the ultimate cause of all innovation is
human creativity. However, innovation does
not occur in a vacuum; it requires a workable
structure of incentives and institutions.
Therefore, government policies that foster the
right enabling conditions for innovation, and
that allow entrepreneurship and markets to
flourish, can provide a climate that encourages
innovation and economic growth in the 21st
Century.’ Increasingly, one of innovation’s core
enabling conditions is intellectual property
protection. 12
The AfCFTA has created the requisite
environment for entrepreneurship and
markets to flourish and to encourage
innovation. Its Intellectual Property Protocol,
when developed, is expected to provide policy
guidelines to safeguard trade within the Free
Trade Area. The provisions should address
issues of counterfeit and piracy and to provide
measures for speedy and effective access to the
legal remedies, to facilitate the enforcement of
Intellectual Property Rights.
In 2015, the Director-General of WIPO,
Francis Gurry, aptly conveyed this Africa’s
awakening, and I conclude with his words:
“I believe that Africa is on the cusp of something
new and exciting. Today, the continent is
home to some of the world’s fastest-growing
economies, and African nations are embracing
the opportunities afforded by the knowledge
economy and the digital revolution to reduce
poverty, enhance agricultural productivity,
and boost industrial competitiveness in their
drive to secure sustainable and inclusive
development.
Africa has a great tradition of innovation
and creativity and has extraordinary creative
resources but has often struggled to realise
their full economic potential. That is changing.
Increasingly, African economies are seeking
to add value to their innovative and creative
resources through the IP system.
Although African economies still face many
competing and compelling policy priorities,
innovation and IP are slowly but surely rising
up the African policy agenda.” 13
Indeed, the lion
awakens from
its slumber!
1 The African Union Commission, Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, 2020
https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview
2 ibid
3 The African Union Commission, Flagship Projects of Agenda 2063, https://
au.int/en/agenda2063/flagship-projects
4 Sibanda M & Ogada, Boosting business competitiveness in Africa with
IP and innovation, October 2019, WIPO Magazine, https://www.wipo.int/
wipo_magazine/en/2019/05/article_0002.html.
5 The African Union Commission, Youth Development, https://au.int/
en/youth-development#:~:text=The%20Youth%20Decade%20Plan%20
of,Governance%2C%20Peace%20and%20Security
6 ibid
7 ibid
8 https://vc4a.com/make-it/africa-ai-accelerator-program/
9 CNN World Africa Tech Rising, African innovations that could change
the world, https://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/16/africa/gallery/africainnovations-that-could-change-the-world/index.html
10 See https://www.wipo.int/tisc/en/
11 Science Technology and Innovation Building alternative future scenarios
in STI, https://www.academia.edu/20139281/Science_Technology_and_
Innovation_Building_alternative_future_scenarios_in_STI
12 WIPO/OMPI Page 11 of 55 Version 1.5
13 Francis Gurry, Intellectual property for an emerging Africa, WIPO
October 2015 https://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2015/si/
article_0001.html
• Nigerian inventor, Osh Agabi, has
created a device that fuses live neurons
from mice stem cells into a silicon chip --
for the first time. The device can be used
to detect explosives and cancer cells.
• Cameroonian entrepreneur, Arthur
Zang, has invented a touch-screen heart
monitoring device that records and
then sends heart activity to a national
healthcare center for evaluation. It could
have hugely positive potential for rural
populations far from hospitals.
• The South Africa based drone software
company aims to help farmers optimise
their output using artificial intelligence.
They have created a data-analytics
platform, ‘Aeroview’, which combines
satellite, drone, and artificial intelligence
technology to improve agricultural
practices.
• Where the rest of the world has lagged
behind, Africa has led the way with
mobile payments. M-Pesa is the most
popular service and has 30 million
users in 10 countries. Since it was first
introduced ten years ago, M-Pesa has
inspired a range of similar services
worldwide and has helped reduce barriers
to finance…”
50
Rwanda 38.59 79 3 11.52 112 14
United Republic
of Tanzania 30.41 112 13 20.73 67 2
Ghana 30.2 113 14 14.35 93 7
4511 Science Technology and Innovation Building alternative future scenarios in STI,
40https://www.academia.edu/20139281/Science_Technology_and_Innovation_Building_alternative_future_sce
35narios_in_STI
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Mauritius South Africa Kenya Botswana Rwanda UR of
Tanzania
INPUT SCORE
OUTPUT SCORE
Ghana
It is interesting to note that these creative
activities have been carried out with minimum
access to technological information, which
means that Africa can achieve more when
technological information is made available
and easily accessible. There is a conscious effort
by some member states, with support from
the World Intellectual Property Organisation
(WIPO) Technology and Innovation Support
FIG 1: INNOVATION FIG 1: INNOVATION INPUT AND INPUT OUTPUT AND OUTPUT
10 www.gipmatrix.com
Innovation thrives in an environment where it is encouraged. The Business and Industry
Advisory Committee to the OECD notes that the ultimate cause of all innovation is human