Ghana becomes first African country to secure USPTO Accelerated Patent Deal
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has entered into an Accelerated Patent Grant (APG) partnership with Ghana’s intellectual property authorities, including the Ghana Intellectual Property Office (GHIPO), the Registrar General’s Department and the Ministry of Justice. The agreement marks the first collaboration of its kind between the USPTO and an African nation.
USPTO Director and Under Secretary of Commerce John A. Squires and Ghana’s Registrar-General Grace Issahaque signed the statement of intent on July 9 in Geneva, Switzerland, during the annual World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) meeting. The deal represents the 10th APG arrangement established by the USPTO with an international intellectual property office.
Squires said the agreement reflects the USPTO’s continued efforts to strengthen partnerships with intellectual property institutions across Africa. He noted that the collaboration builds on the agency’s expanding engagement on the continent, including the appointment of its first intellectual property attaché for the region, Katherine Hiner, based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Under the APG programme, applicants who have already secured a U.S. patent from the USPTO can request an accelerated review of a corresponding patent application submitted to Ghana’s IP office. The arrangement, which is designed to promote cooperation between the two patent systems, will remain in effect for five years from the signing date.
GHIPO is expected to publish guidelines outlining how the programme will operate and how U.S. patent holders can benefit from the initiative.
Following the signing, Squires participated in a WIPO side event focused on intellectual property and economic growth, where USPTO officials highlighted the importance of stronger IP protection systems in supporting creators and innovators across Africa.
USPTO Intellectual Property Attaché Katherine Hiner said effective intellectual property frameworks require consistent laws, skilled personnel, proper equipment, improved procedures and continuous engagement with rights holders.
The partnership is expected to improve the efficiency of Ghana’s patent approval process by reducing delays while ensuring that the country maintains strong intellectual property protection standards.
Ghana, with a GDP of about $114 billion in 2025, is among Africa’s rapidly expanding economies. According to WIPO data, U.S.-based applicants accounted for 33% of foreign patent applications filed in Ghana in 2024, highlighting the importance of the new cooperation.
Source: Graphic Online
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