Government through the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance (MoICT&NG), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the UJ-Connect Project, have rolled out the Uganda ICT Intellectual Property (IP) Guidelines.
The Uganda ICT Intellectual Property (IP) Guidelines aim to empower Ugandan innovators in the ICT sector by providing them with the knowledge and resources necessary to protect and commercialize their intellectual property.
They have been Developed in partnership with key stakeholders comprising JICA, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Uganda Registration Services Bureau, KTA Advocates, and many others,.
They emphasize registering unique product innovations, including software and hardware, with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB). Furthermore, the guidelines guide managing Intellectual Property Rights for locally developed IT systems, applications, and innovations within the ICT sector.
Moses Watasa the Commissioner, Information Dissemination, Monitoring & Inspection, at the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance says the guidelines outline MoICT&NG’s approach to managing, owning, and commercializing Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in contracts between contractors and suppliers.