Intellectual property is yet to be a ‘big thing’ in Africa but this Mozambican executive sees the future

“I have an immense passion for art and people’s ideas and from that, I decided that I should share this passion, by helping them protect their inspiration, their work.” And that was how Nidia D’Almeida founded Agência de Propriedade Intelectual (API) in Mozambique to provide services of protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) defines Intellectual Property (IP) as the creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. The definition highlights different types of creations of the mind for which exclusive rights are accepted. These rights are granted to creators and inventors to regulate the use of their products.

In many African countries, laws on intellectual property rights are either weak or no do exist, depriving creatives legal rights to their works. This has led to a situation where people use the works and pass it off as theirs.

Nidia comes to the field of intellectual property rights with years of experience in intellectual property, patents and copyright. According to Nidia, her love for IPR comes from the fact that for intellectual property to exist, there has to be involved a person who developed the idea, who spent countless hours thinking, imagining, drawing in order to offer others a product/service that makes a difference in their lives.

Her company provides IPR services in countries such as Angola, Cape Verde and Sao Tome & Principe. “In connection with it, we also provide translation services for trademarks, patents, and any other document (Portuguese-English-Portuguese),” she told the lionessesofafrica.

Prior to starting her own company, Nidia had worked for 15 years for an IP company with offices all over Africa. According to her, never had the opportunity to share people’s joy when their rights are protected. She then decided to start a new adventured by starting his own IP Company and helping to protect works of people covering patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

The Mozambican entrepreneur currently is alone in her journey but hopes to expand soon. “I would like my API to grow and to be able to collaborate with entrepreneurs/and or artists all over Africa, by protecting their rights and create a difference in the local market,” she says.

Nidia drives satisfaction when she sees an idea taking form and also being at the center of protecting that idea, in registering it and in advising how to give wings to that idea. “I would like my API to grow and to be able to collaborate with entrepreneurs/and or artists all over Africa, by protecting their rights and create a difference in the local market,” she added.

For other women looking to start a company, Nidia says they should have patience, resilience, perseverance, and collaborate with other entrepreneurs.