PCT NATIONAL PHASE ENTRY
Rwanda

Rwanda has been a Contracting Party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property since March 01, 1984. It acceded to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) on May 31, 2011, with the treaty entering into force on August 31, 2011. Additionally, Rwanda joined the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure by depositing its instrument of accession on September 04, 2023, effective December 04, 2023. Rwanda is also a member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), having deposited its instrument of accession to the Harare Protocol on June 24, 2011, with the protocol entering into force on August 24, 2011.

A national phase application in Rwanda must be filed within 31 months from the priority date of the international PCT application.

In Rwanda, the application is submitted in English or French languages.

In Rwanda, extensions for the late filing of a patent application are generally not permitted once the initial deadline has passed.

• Power of Attorney: A power of attorney, signed by the applicant, duly notarized should be submitted at the patent office.
• Deed of Assignment: If the applicant is not the inventor, a deed of assignment must be submitted to confirm the right to file the patent application.

No cost exemption is available for patent application in Rwanda.

In Rwanda, a separate request for substantive examination is not required when entering the national phase of a PCT application as the application is examined as to formality only.

In Rwanda, renewal fees for patents are paid annually, starting from the first anniversary of the filing date and continuing until the 20th year.

In Rwanda, the patent duration is 20 years starting from the filing date of the patent application.

In the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024, Rwanda is ranked 104th out of 133 economies. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, Rwanda holds the 9th position among 27 economies. This year, Rwanda ranks 81st in innovation inputs, showing an improvement from the previous year. The country's key innovation strengths include labor productivity growth (ranked 5th), government funding per pupil in secondary education as a percentage of GDP per capita (ranked 8th), and policy stability for doing business (ranked 8th).

Rwanda’s continued economic growth, political stability, and strategic vision for the future present significant opportunities for innovation and intellectual property development. As the country moves towards becoming a Middle-Income and eventually a High-Income Country, the potential for IP-driven growth is immense, offering a dynamic environment for investors and innovators alike.