Protect your hustle: Why every business in Ghana must register its brand

Clement Osei-Prempeh Opinion Jan - 07 - 2026 , 09:57 4 minutes read

In today’s competitive market, your brand is one of your most valuable business assets.

Whether you run a food joint in Osu, sell fashion items online, or manage a tech startup in Accra, your name, logo, and identity set you apart. But here’s the truth many Ghanaian entrepreneurs overlook — if your brand isn’t legally protected, it can easily be taken from you.

Your brand, your business

Your brand tells your story. It’s what customers remember, recommend, and trust.

Imagine spending years building a solid reputation, only for another company to use the same or a confusingly similar name.

Without legal protection, you could lose control — or worse, someone else could register the brand and prevent you from using it.

That’s why trademark registration is not a luxury — it’s a necessity.

What Is a Trademark and Why It Matters

A trademark is any name, logo, slogan, or symbol that distinguishes your goods or services from others.

When you register it at Ghana’s Registrar-General’s Department (RGD), you gain exclusive legal rights to use that mark in connection with your business.

It’s like owning land — registration gives you a legal title. Without it, anyone can claim what you’ve built.

A registered trademark allows you to:

Stop others from copying or imitating your brand.

Build trust and credibility with customers and investors.

Expand your business internationally with legal protection.

Increase your company’s value — registered marks are assets you can license, franchise, or sell.

Competitive advantage

In crowded markets, a registered trademark gives your business a competitive edge.

It differentiates your products or services from the rest and makes your brand instantly recognisable.

Consumers are more likely to trust and choose a brand that carries the confidence of legal ownership.

Moreover, companies with registered trademarks are better positioned for collaborations, funding, and partnerships — because investors know they’re dealing with a legitimate, protected brand.

Unregistered businesses often discover too late that another party has claimed their brand name or logo.

Disputes over unregistered marks can drag on for months, drain resources, and even result in a complete rebrand.

Registering your trademark from the start prevents these costly legal battles.

It’s far cheaper to secure your rights early than to fight for them later in court.

In fact, many small businesses in Ghana have lost their brand identities simply because they failed to take this crucial step.

Process is simpler than you think

Trademark registration in Ghana is handled by the Registrar-General’s Department. The process involves:

• Conducting a search to ensure no one else has registered a similar mark
• Filing an application with details of your business and logo.
• Paying the required fees.
• Waiting for examination and publication in the Industrial and Commercial Bulletin before final approval.

The process may take a few months, but once approved, your brand is protected for 10 years, renewable indefinitely.

Protection beyond Ghana

If you have plans to expand beyond Ghana, your registered trademark can serve as the foundation for international protection through systems like the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) or the Madrid Protocol.

In other words, one local registration can help you protect your brand globally.