Call for submissions: African Journal of Intellectual Property (AJIP)

AJIP addresses the increasing demand for rigorous academic and practice-based research on various dimensions of intellectual property (IP) in Africa. It provides a dedicated platform for African scholarship and encourages contributions from universities, research institutions, legal practitioners, policymakers, judicial officers, and other stakeholders engaged in IP policy, administration, enforcement, and management.

In addition to traditional IP subjects such as patents, trademarks, copyright, industrial designs, and traditional knowledge, AJIP also welcomes interdisciplinary submissions. Topics that intersect IP with areas such as public health, education, food security, the environment, and sustainable development are particularly encouraged, with the aim of bridging existing gaps in academic discourse.

Guidelines for authors

Types of submissions

AJIP accepts a range of scholarly works including:

• Full-length research articles (4 000 to 5 000 words).
• Practitioner insights.
• Case law and statute reviews.
• Book reviews.
• Commentaries (1 000 to 3 000 words).
• All submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.

Peer review process

Submissions undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process. Manuscripts are assessed for originality, scholarly rigour, relevance, and overall suitability for the journal. Authors should ensure that their names and identifying information do not appear in the manuscript or in headers/footers.

Formatting requirements

• Manuscripts should be typed in Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.5 line spacing.
• An abstract (150 to 250 words) and four to five keywords must accompany the submission.
• Use UK English spelling, following the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.
• Submissions should be in Microsoft Word format.

Referencing style

AJIP follows the APA (American Psychological Association) referencing style:

• In-text citations should include author, year, and page number where applicable.
• A complete reference list, in alphabetical order, must be included at the end.

Footnotes and endnotes

• Where possible, authors should integrate citations into the main text. If notes are necessary, they should be provided as concise endnotes.

Quotations

Short quotations (under 40 words) should be embedded in the text using double quotation marks.

Long quotations (over 40 words) must be:

• Set as a block quote.
• Indented five spaces from the left.
• Written in 10-point font.
• Single-spaced without quotation marks.

How to submit

Manuscripts should be emailed as attachments in Microsoft Word format to: ajipjournal@africau.edu and ajipjournal@aripo.org.

In a separate document, authors must include:

• Full name.
• Designation and institutional affiliation.
• Educational background.
• Contact details.
• Brief biographical note.

View the original call here.