Patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Patent applications, residents was 1,834 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1980–2020
Source: WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans.
Analysis
The most recent figure for patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa is 1,834, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of up 5.1% on the previous year and up 55.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 5,178 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 221, in 1999.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3,141 | — |
| 1981 | 3,393 | +8.0% |
| 1982 | 3,071 | -9.5% |
| 1983 | 4,307 | +40.2% |
| 1984 | 3,930 | -8.8% |
| 1985 | 4,122 | +4.9% |
| 1986 | 4,782 | +16.0% |
| 1987 | 4,993 | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 4,937 | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 5,178 | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 1,175 | -77.3% |
| 1991 | 1,136 | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 966 | -15.0% |
| 1993 | 1,032 | +6.8% |
| 1994 | 992 | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 1,005 | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 908 | -9.7% |
| 1997 | 428 | -52.9% |
| 1998 | 277 | -35.3% |
| 1999 | 221 | -20.2% |
| 2000 | 948 | +329.0% |
| 2001 | 996 | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 1,060 | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 1,036 | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 1,092 | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 1,124 | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 935 | -16.8% |
| 2007 | 1,023 | +9.4% |
| 2008 | 1,318 | +28.8% |
| 2009 | 1,219 | -7.5% |
| 2010 | 1,181 | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 1,200 | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 979 | -18.4% |
| 2013 | 1,229 | +25.5% |
| 2014 | 1,125 | -8.5% |
| 2015 | 1,515 | +34.7% |
| 2016 | 1,485 | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 1,488 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 1,970 | +32.4% |
| 2019 | 1,745 | -11.4% |
| 2020 | 1,834 | +5.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +329.0% | 221 | 948 |
| 1990 | -77.3% | 5,178 | 1,175 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4,185 | 3,071 | 5,178 | 10 |
| 1990s | 814 | 221 | 1,175 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,075 | 935 | 1,318 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,392 | 979 | 1,970 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,834 | 1,834 | 1,834 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More science & technology data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Scientific and technical journal articles 48,022 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per square kilometre 0.002 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Digital connectivity composite index -1.24 standard deviations from the yearly mean (2025)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, annual growth rate -0.2159 % change on previous year (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 8,160 (2020)
- Proportion of individuals using the Internet 35.7% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 2G mobile network 94.1% (2025)
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network 88.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Patent applications, residents in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1,834 in 2020, according to WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans.
- What is the highest patent applications, residents recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5,178 in 1989.
- What is the lowest patent applications, residents recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 221 in 1999.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for patent applications, residents?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 11th out of 12 groups with data for 2020.
- Is patent applications, residents rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 55.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans, published as part of Patent applications, residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.