Burkina Faso Trademark Information

Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is located in West Africa and is bordered by Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire (the Ivory Coast) to the southwest.

Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.

Trademarks are assigned through National Directorate of Industrial Property under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade, Promotion of Companies and Handicraft. Burkina Faso is a not member of the Madrid Protocol and is a member of OAPI. A trademark is valid for 10 years and may be renewed for further periods of 10 years each.