Trademark registration in Zambia

Costs, market data and law firms for Zambia

Zambia

Zambia: registering a trademark costs an estimated US$610 for one class, plus US$500 for each further class. Zambia is a member of the Madrid System, so a trademark can be filed with its office directly or extended to Zambia through an international registration. Zambia is a leading import market for chemicals (class 1) and machines (class 7). It is also one of the world's leading exporters of unrefined copper and nickel ore.

Population21.9m
Economy (GDP)US$29bn
Trademark classes filed by foreign applicants (2024)4,130
Madrid System memberYes

Figures by trademark class count branded goods only: raw commodities that are traded mostly without brands - such as gold bars, fuel, bulk chemicals, grain and fabric by the metre - are left out. Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates are left out of the rankings, as much of their trade is re-exported.

Where Zambia is a leading market

  • #4 in Sub-Saharan Africa for class 1 (Chemicals) - US$131m of imports
  • #5 in Sub-Saharan Africa for class 7 (Machines) - US$1.8bn of imports
  • #6 in Sub-Saharan Africa for class 12 (Vehicles) - US$1.2bn of imports
  • #10 in Sub-Saharan Africa for class 5 (Pharmaceuticals) - US$301m of imports
  • #10 in Sub-Saharan Africa for class 3 (Cosmetics and cleaning) - US$209m of imports
  • #11 in Sub-Saharan Africa for class 17 (Rubber and plastics) - US$138m of imports

A leading exporter

  • #1 in the world for unrefined copper - US$7.4bn of exports (38% of the world's)
  • #2 in the world for nickel ore - US$723m of exports (14% of the world's)

Fastest-growing markets

  • Class 9 (Electronics and software): imports up 24% a year
  • Class 7 (Machines): imports up 23% a year
  • Class 6 (Metal goods): imports up 14% a year
Zambia: the biggest import markets by trademark class (2024, US$m)
Zambia's share of Sub-Saharan Africa's imports, by trademark class (%)
Zambia: import growth by trademark class (2022-2024, % a year)
Zambia: its leading and key exports (2024, US$m)

Goods where Zambia is among the world's 3 largest exporters, has at least 15% of world exports, or that make up at least 25% of its own exports - of at least US$500m a year.

Questions about trademarks in Zambia

How much does it cost to register a trademark in Zambia?

Our estimate is about US$610 for one class, from filing to registration: about US$250 in official fees and about US$360 in professional (law firm) fees. Each further class adds about US$500. Responses to office actions and oppositions are not included. These are estimates only: the actual cost depends on the law firm and the application. Request a quote from a law firm on this site for an exact price.

Can I use the Madrid System for Zambia?

Zambia is a member of the Madrid System, so a trademark can be filed with its office directly or extended to Zambia through an international registration. WIPO's fee to designate Zambia is CHF 58 for one class (about US$70) and CHF 105 for two classes, on top of WIPO's basic fee for the international application.

For which goods is Zambia an important market?

Zambia's 10 largest import markets by trademark class are machines (class 7, US$1.8bn), vehicles (class 12, US$1.2bn), electronics and software (class 9, US$707m), pharmaceuticals (class 5, US$301m), cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$209m), metal goods (class 6, US$159m), rubber and plastics (class 17, US$138m), chemicals (class 1, US$131m), coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (class 30, US$98m) and clothing, footwear and headwear (class 25, US$92m). Within its region, it stands out for chemicals (#4 in Sub-Saharan Africa), machines (#5 in Sub-Saharan Africa), vehicles (#6 in Sub-Saharan Africa), pharmaceuticals (#10 in Sub-Saharan Africa) and cosmetics and cleaning (#10 in Sub-Saharan Africa). Imports are growing fastest for electronics and software (24% a year), machines (23% a year) and metal goods (14% a year). Foreign applicants filed 4,130 trademark classes in Zambia in 2024 - #3 in Sub-Saharan Africa - a sign of how many brand owners already protect their marks there.

What does Zambia export, and why does that matter for my trademark?

Zambia's exports of goods came to US$14.5bn in 2024. Its 10 largest exports were unrefined copper (US$7.4bn, 51% of its exports, #1 in the world), refined copper (US$2.4bn, 16% of its exports, #10 in the world), nickel ore (US$723m, 5% of its exports, #2 in the world), unmanufactured tobacco (US$351m, 2% of its exports, #11 in the world), precious and semi-precious stones (US$331m, 2% of its exports, #7 in the world), electricity (US$250m, 2% of its exports, #40 in the world), cement (US$164m, 1% of its exports, #24 in the world), soft drinks (US$140m, 1% of its exports, #39 in the world), ferro-alloys (US$137m, 1% of its exports, #36 in the world) and synthetic stones (US$119m, 1% of its exports, #5 in the world). By trademark class, its 8 largest exports were beer and soft drinks (class 32, US$140m, #39 in the world), cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$117m, #69 in the world), coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (class 30, US$100m, #78 in the world), machines (class 7, US$90m, #85 in the world), vehicles (class 12, US$66m, #81 in the world), building materials (class 19, US$66m, #75 in the world), meat, dairy and preserved foods (class 29, US$60m, #100 in the world) and electronics and software (class 9, US$58m, #100 in the world). Where goods are made and exported, copies are often made too: a registered trademark there lets you act against counterfeits at the source, including with the help of customs.

Law firms for Zambia

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Trade: imports and exports of each trademark class's branded goods. Rankings compare countries' trade in those goods, without the re-export hubs. Costs are estimates.