MONROVIA – Rarely does an entrepreneur in Liberia protect his or her intellectual property (IP). So, when Sandra Perkins-Lighe did, she surprised many at the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO), where 99.9 percent of IP applications received and approved are from foreign owners.
By Robin Dopoe, Contributing Writer
“The registration of our Sandy Group of Companies’ premium brand, Zaag Natural, as a trademark has given us the legal right to prevent others from replicating our unique products and processes,” Sandra explains. “This step is important for our business, especially since we have the ambition of growing beyond our market.”
Sandra, had initially lacked an understanding of IP and its role in driving economic growth. However, this changed when she attended a regional conference on Intellectual Property for Women in Agribusiness, organized in Kigali, Rwanda, from May 15-17, 2023.
The Rwanda conference, aimed at helping women in agribusiness utilize the IP system for product branding and commercialization, sparked Sandra’s interest in IP. And when another opportunity arose—this time an eight-month IP Management Clinic—she seized it without hesitation.
The IP clinic, sponsored by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in collaboration with LIPO, provided Sandra guidance on IP formulation, business strategies, IP portfolio creation, and best practices for managing IP.
“The training in Kigali and the IP Clinic convinced me that my business was at risk without IP registration,” Sandra recalls. “Registering our trademark wasn’t just about legal protection; it was about building a lasting legacy as we aim to create a brand that thrives and serves as an example for other strong women entrepreneurs in Liberia, Africa, and beyond.”
As one of 30 beneficiaries of the WIPO-sponsored program, Sandra became a trailblazer. Midway through the eight-month IP Management Clinic, she filed a trademark application, and by the end of the program in April 2024, her application was approved—making her the first among the 30 participants to achieve this feat.
While the trademark registration process is tedious, just like any other IP process, the resulting impact is always transformative as it increases customer trust and confidence; more importantly, it distinguishes a business and its products from competitors.
All these benefits, Sandra says, have made her business “stand out and gain customer recognition,” — selling more Moringa Leaf Powder, Ginger Powder, Moringa Leaf Tea, and Moringa & Ginger Tea products than ever before.
“With our trademark, we’ve built a stronger, more distinctive brand,” Sandra notes. “This has helped us thrive in a market where many businesses operate without such protections. Zaag Natural is distinguished from competitors who haven’t invested in trademark registration.”
“Our goal at Zaag Natural is not just about the [Liberian] market but also about expanding regionally and internationally,” she added. “Given the high quality of our natural products, we wanted to ensure that our brand is recognized globally.”
Sandra Perkins-Lighe, Sandy Group of Companies Zaag Natural Moringa Leaf and Ginger Tea (without trademark sign) vs. the latest pages with the trademark ® sign on the right.
Even though the concept of IP is somewhat complex, it’s deeply integrated into everyday life. The smartphone in our pocket, the logo on our favorite pair of shoes or clothes, the software we use for work or entertainment—all are examples of someone’s or a company’s IP, protected in various forms. The logos, designs, and even the technology inside the products, which are the human points of interaction, are the fruits of the legal protection IP rights provide—a claim of ownership (s) so that no one can use, copy, or profit from them without the owner’s permission.
This is why, when we buy a product from our favorite brand, we are not just paying for the physical item but also the brand’s reputation, the research and development behind the product, and the quality that comes with it. At its core, IP rights are legal tools that incentivize and protect creativity and innovation in all forms, guaranteeing the constant delivery of quality products or services. Some types of IP include trademarks, patents, and trade secrets, each providing different kinds of protection.
Trademark registration covers brand names, logos, and slogans to distinguish the goods or services of one business from another. It lasts for 10 years, at which point it can be renewed for the same period, and so on. Sandra’s Zaag Natural, for instance, is a trademark that identifies her products and distinguishes them from competitors. As such, no one else can use Sandra’s brand identity to market their products without her permission.
Patent applications, on the other hand, protect new inventions or processes, granting the inventor or owner exclusive rights to use and sell the invention, typically for 20 years. Also, trade secrets are confidential business information that provides a company with a competitive edge, such as a unique recipe or proprietary production method, and they are protected for an unlimited time.
In all cases, IP protection is like having a lock on the door to your creativity, with a key only you hold. And so, for Sandra, seeking trademark protection, she says was necessary for her business to survive and reinforce its value to consumers.
The protection, she noted, has opened the door for additional revenue streams through licensing, while increasing her business’s appeal to investors, as well as enhancing its “reputation and driving higher sales.”
Globally, trademarks are regarded as valuable assets that form part of a business’s property. They can be mortgaged, sold, or licensed to others. This is why many companies permit third parties to use their registered trademarks in exchange for royalties or licensing fees, enabling those parties to sell products or offer services in markets where the original business is not directly present.
A comprehensive trademark portfolio often enhances a company’s overall value. Just as individuals can build wealth by acquiring assets like real estate or artwork, businesses can increase their worth through trademark trademarks and other intellectual property rights.
“Trust, which is the core of a brand, is crucial for attracting and retaining customers in a competitive market,” noted Sandra. “So, when an entrepreneur knows how to safeguard and utilize their IP, a more valuable brand is built, which leads to greater business success and growth. For Zaag Natural, this has translated into increased sales and market share.”
As someone with global ambitions, Sandra has begun exploring ways to extend her IP rights internationally. While this comes with a cost, Sandra shares experts’ views that the long-term benefits of pursuing global trademark registration far outweigh the present investment.
This is particularly true as the global economy has become extremely reliant on IP for trade. The rise of digital platforms and e-commerce has made it easier for businesses to reach customers around the world, but it has also made it easier for counterfeiters to replicate and distribute products.
As a result, the ability to protect a trademark through the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (system for Africa or WIPO is a valuable asset when entering new markets, whether through a physical presence or licensing. For instance, if Sandra wants to capitalize on the EU-Africa trade agreements and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provide duty-free access to vast markets for growth, she needs to show IP ownership of her products, along with meeting other regulatory criteria.
Additionally, as sustainability becomes a key focus for consumers and businesses alike, IP protection is bringing eco-friendly innovations to life—as the development of a new method for recycling plastic or creating biodegradable packaging needs patent protection to ensure that such innovation is not copied without permission. This, in turn, encourages further investment in sustainable practices, benefiting society as a whole.
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