• Morocco ranks first in Africa and 22nd globally in the 2026 Intellectual Property Index with a score of 59.19.
• Only seven African countries appear in the ranking, highlighting a structural gap across the continent.
• Global leaders maintain high scores above 91, but most countries show stagnation or decline in IP protection performance.

Morocco has ranked as Africa’s top performer in intellectual property protection in 2026, according to the International Intellectual Property Index 2026published on March 11 by the Global Innovation Policy Center, a think tank affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The index evaluates the strength and effectiveness of intellectual property (IP) frameworks across the world’s 55 largest economies, which together account for about 90% of global GDP. The ranking relies on 53 indicators grouped into 10 categories, including patent rights, copyright protection, trademark systems, trade secrets, enforcement mechanisms and international treaty participation.

The index scores each country on a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 represents a non-existent IP system and 100 represents an optimal framework. Morocco ranked 22nd globally for the fourth consecutive year with a score of 59.19 points.

The country achieved this ranking through a relatively strong patent protection system and adherence to international agreements, including the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks and the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement, which modernizes the protection of appellations of origin and extends it to geographical indications.

However, Morocco still faces weaknesses in enforcement. High levels of physical counterfeiting and online piracy continue to affect the system, while the country lacks specific incentives related to intellectual property for the development of orphan drugs.

Only seven African countries appear in the index, highlighting the continent’s lag in intellectual property protection. Ghana ranks second in Africa and 38th globally with a score of 39.25 points. Kenya ranks 42nd, followed by South Africain 46th place, Nigeria in 47th, Egypt in 48th and Algeria in 53rd position. This distribution underscores structural weaknesses in IP systems across much of the continent.

At the global level, United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germanyand Swedenlead the ranking. These countries all achieved scores above 91 points, reflecting highly developed IP protection systems.

However, the Global Innovation Policy Center has identified a broader slowdown in progress. No country in the top 15 improved its score in 2026. At the same time, eight member states of the European Unionrecorded declines in their scores. Overall, only 20 countries improved their performance this year. 

This trend highlights the urgency for policymakers to reinforce intellectual property protection as a key driver of innovation, competitiveness and economic growth.

Walid Kéfi

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