Mozambique’s intellectual property system was restructured in January 2025, with copyrights managed by the National Institute of Culture and Creative Industries (INICC), which operates under the Ministry of Education and Culture, while patents and trademarks are managed by the Industrial Property Institute (IPI), part of the Ministry of Economy. While the government has made a strong public commitment to combat counterfeiting and piracy, enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights is weak. Pirated DVDs and counterfeit goods are commonly sold in Mozambique, though they are not produced in large quantities. Enforcement of IP laws is infrequent and often selective. Companies entering the Mozambican market with their own intellectual property should seek advice from local legal experts on how to protect their IP effectively.
In any foreign market, companies should consider several general principles for effective protection of their intellectual property. For background, link to our article on Protecting Intellectual Property and STOPFakes.gov for more resources.
For more information, contact ITA’s Office of Standards and Intellectual Property Rights (OSIP) Director, Stevan Mitchell at Stevan.Mitchell@trade.gov.
To access the Mozambique Investment Climate Statement, which includes information on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, visit the U.S. Department of State Investment Climate Statement website.
In any foreign market, companies should consider several general principles for effective protection of their intellectual property. Visit Protecting Intellectual Property and Stopfakes.gov for more resources
• For specific information on Mozambique, contact Katherine Hiner, IP Attaché for Sub-Saharan Africa at Katherine.Hiner@trade.gov.
• For more information, contact ITA’s Office of Standards and Intellectual Property Rights (OSIP) Director, Stevan Mitchell at Stevan.Mitchell@trade.gov.
To access the Mozambique Investment Climate Statement, which includes information on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, visit the U.S. Department of State Investment Climate Statement website.