Office Of The Administrator And Registrar General

21/05/2026

Sierra Leone Highlights IP Reforms at Global Committee Session
Geneva, Switzerland, - Sierra Leone has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening intellectual property (IP) as a driver of innovation, creativity, and economic growth during the 36th Session of a committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva.

In his remarks, Mr. Ibrahim Sam Johnson, Senior Registration Officer, Office of the Administrator and Registrar-General, on behalf of the Administrator and Registrar-General, Madam Martina Baindu Egbenda, congratulated the Chair and thanked the secretariat for the preparation of the session, while aligning with the position delivered by South Africa on behalf of the African Group.

At the international level, Sierra Leone noted its membership in key treaties, including the Patent Cooperation Treaty, as well as participation in the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol, while considering further accessions.

Domestically, the country reported progress with the enactment of the Patent and Industrial Designs Regulations and Trademark Regulations of 2024, aimed at improving efficiency and clarity within the IP system.

Sierra Leone also highlighted ongoing efforts to establish a Collective Management Organization to strengthen copyright administration, alongside initiatives such as Intellectual Property School Clubs launched during World Intellectual Property Day to boost public awareness.

The delegation acknowledged WIPO’s technical support, including the rollout of the IP Administration System (IPAS), and reaffirmed its commitment to developing a practical, inclusive, and development-oriented IP framework.

21/05/2026

In case you missed it, the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General (OARG) and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, in proud collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Education and the Ministry of Sports, celebrated World Intellectual Property (IP) Day 2026 with a groundbreaking milestone: the official establishment of Sierra Leone IP School Clubs!

By introducing Intellectual Property concepts to our classrooms, we are empowering young minds to create, innovate, and understand the value of protecting their original ideas. This initiative is a vital step toward building a robust culture of creativity, entrepreneurship, and legal awareness from the grassroots up.

A huge congratulations to all the schools, educators, and partners involved in making this launch a massive success! 🎓💡

African Regional Intellectual Property Organization - ARIPO

20/05/2026

The Registration of Mining Lease Agreements with the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Mines forms part of the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General’s Registration Mandate.

Together with the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice , we are thrilled to participate in the 2026 Sierra Leone Mining Week , as we accelerate and leverage on gains made in the Mining Sector…

18/05/2026

The Administrator and Registrar General of Sierra Leone attends the Heads of Intellectual Property Offices Conference in Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho, underscoring her commitment to Intellectual Property Administration…

14/05/2026

*SIERRA LEONE'S ADMINISTRATOR GENERAL EXCELS AT GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FORUM*

_*Geneva, Switzerland Thursday, 14 May 2026* —_ Sierra Leone's Administrator and Registrar General, Ms. Martina Baindu Egbenda, has made a significant mark on the international stage, reinforcing her country's commitment to intellectual property (IP) reform and gender-inclusive innovation at the **2026 Women and IP Symposium for IP Offices**, held in Geneva from 11–13 May 2026.

The symposium, organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under its Gender Action Plan, brought together member states to advance women's participation in IP systems worldwide.

Ms. Egbenda's participation aligned with the transformative strides Sierra Leone has made under President Julius Maada Bio's administration, particularly through the **Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Act 2022**. The legislation has significantly boosted women's representation in governance, with women now occupying over 30 per cent of parliamentary seats and key leadership positions across government and public institutions.

The symposium covered a wide range of critical themes, including improving sex-disaggregated data measurement in IP and innovation; designing inclusive policy frameworks for women innovators and entrepreneurs; IP education and capacity building for women and girls; empowering women in AI and the digital economy; and advancing public–private partnerships for women-inclusive innovation ecosystems, among others.

During the symposium, Ms. Egbenda held productive bilateral discussions with the Director of the WIPO Academy, focusing on strategic partnerships for Sierra Leone's IP office and key reforms aimed at advancing intellectual property rights as a tool for sustainable economic growth.

Addressing fellow delegates, she called on WIPO to provide member states with practical, ready-to-adopt tools: "I believe WIPO can help member states by providing legal and administrative templates — such as fast-track procedures for women-led applications, model IP clauses that support women entrepreneurs, and guidelines for gender-responsive IP offices," she said.

She further urged WIPO to work with governments to embed IP within national gender strategies, STEM education plans, and entrepreneurship programmes, stressing that IP should not be treated as a niche legal matter confined to specialists.

Sierra Leone has in recent times taken concrete steps to modernise its IP landscape. These include efforts to establish a **Collective Management Organisation** to strengthen copyright administration, as well as the launch of **Intellectual Property School Clubs** during World Intellectual Property Day-an initiative aimed at building grassroots public awareness of IP rights.

Ms. Egbenda's active and effective engagement at this year's symposium is expected to pave the way for enhanced WIPO technical and capacity-building support for Sierra Leone in the coming months, including engagements in China and Geneva.

09/05/2026

https://owlpress-sl.com/sierra-leone-commitment-intellectual-property-growth-wipo-session-geneva/

Sierra Leone Reaffirms Commitment to Intellectual Property Growth at WIPO Session in Geneva

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05/03/2026

Congratulations Alpha Sesay Esq, Attorney General and Minister of Justice on this attainment

03/03/2026

Happy 50th anniversary to African Regional Intellectual Property Organization - ARIPO ! Congratulations to everyone for your hard work and dedication

18/02/2026

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*Government Weekly Press Conference, MoICE*

On Tuesday, 17th February 2026, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education held its Government Weekly Press Conference, updating the public on key national issues including education, Armed Forces Day, the fight against corruption, and copyright and registration laws.

♦️Topic: “Copyright Act Under Review to Address Digital Challenges”

The Administrator and Registrar-General, Martina Ebgbenda Esq., addressed issues relating to copyright. She explained that although copyright protection is automatic, the Copyright Act of 2011 allows for voluntary registration to strengthen legal enforcement. She noted that once a copyright application is gazetted for 60 days without objection, registration is granted. Madam Ebgbenda also disclosed that the Act is currently under review to align with international best practices and to expand its scope to address emerging issues, particularly in the digital space.

31/01/2026

ACC PRESENTS 5 POLICY REPORTS TO ADMINISTRATOR AND REGISTRAR GENERAL

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has presented five policy documents on Fuel Distribution and Allocation Management, ICT and Digital Management, Petty Cash, Assets Management and Gifts and Register to the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General (OARG).

The presentation was done on the 28th January, 2026, in line with section 7(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008 (as amended in 2019) which mandates the Commission to conduct systems and processes review of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with a view to identify corruption vulnerabilities and further proffer appropriate recommendations as preventive measures.

Coordinator of Operations, ACC, Patrick Sandi, in his statement, highlighted key objectives, compliance requirements, implementation frameworks, and the specific roles of the OARG in implementing recommendations in the five thematic policy reports. He also outlined monitoring, reporting and accountability mechanisms designed to ensure proper implementation and sustained compliance.

Head of Policy and Ethics Unit, ACC, Musa Kanteh, emphasized that this initiative forms part of the ACC’s prevention approach in combating corruption, strengthening internal controls, improving service delivery, and reducing opportunities for corruption in all public institutions. He noted that collaborating with OARG to review their systems and policies will help strengthen governance, and accountability within the institution.

In her welcome statement, the Administrator and Registrar General, Martina Baindu Egbenda Esq. expressed appreciation to the ACC, describing the initiative as timely and necessary. After formally receiving the reports from the ACC, she said that the policies will significantly strengthen their operational systems, improve accountability and enhance service delivery.

The presentation ceremony was climaxed with the formal acceptance and endorsement of the policies by the Administrator and Registrar General, marking a key milestone in institutional reform at the OARG.