• Morocco ranks Africa’s top IP performer, 22nd globally in 2026

• Strong patent framework, but enforcement gaps persist (piracy, counterfeiting)

• Africa lags overall, with limited countries in global IP index

Morocco ranked as Africa’s top performer in intellectual property protection in 2026, according to the International Intellectual Property Index 2026, published 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 is based on 53 indicators grouped into 10 categories, including patent rights, copyright protection, trademark systems, trade secrets, enforcement mechanisms and participation in international treaties.

Countries are scored on a scale from 0 to 100, where 0 indicates a non-existent IP system and 100 an optimal framework. Morocco ranked 22nd globally for the fourth consecutive year, with a score of 59.19.

The country’s performance reflects 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 undermine the system, while the country lacks specific IP-related incentives 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. Kenya ranks 42nd, followed by South Africa in 46th place, Nigeria in 47th, Egypt in 48th and Algeria in 53rd. This distribution underscores structural weaknesses in IP systems across much of the continent.

At the global level, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Sweden lead the ranking, all with scores above 91, reflecting highly developed IP protection systems.

However, the Global Innovation Policy Center noted a broader slowdown in progress. No country in the top 15 improved its score in 2026, while eight European Union member states recorded declines. Overall, only 20 countries improved their performance this year.

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

Walid Kéfi