Reported by: S. Ernest.
Date: 15th January, 2025.
Lusaka, Zambia.
The Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) has reported a record-breaking performance for 2024, generating K147.1 million in revenue—surpassing its annual target of K105.9 million by an impressive 39%.
This achievement marks a notable increase from the K107.3 million revenue collected in 2023, underscoring the Agency’s robust growth trajectory.
PACRA’s commercial services, encompassing business registrations and annual return filings, emerged as the primary revenue driver.
The Agency collected K116.7 million in this category, exceeding its target of K70.9 million by 65%. This represents a significant rise from the K80.4 million generated in 2023.
Revenues from Intellectual Property (IP) services, including copyright and trademark registrations, reached K30.4 million. While slightly below the K35.1 million target, this reflects a healthy growth compared to the K26.9 million collected in 2023.
PACRA exceeded its 2024 registration targets for Business Names and closely approached its goals for Companies. The Agency registered 35,190 Business Names and 18,138 Companies, achieving 102% and 99% of their respective targets.
Annual return compliance also remained strong, with 54,975 Business Names and 56,579 Companies submitting returns, closely aligning with set targets.
Trademark activity showed remarkable progress, with 2,623 applications received in 2024, up from 2,445 in 2023.
The Agency registered 1,654 trademarks and processed 1,704 renewals, representing a significant 61% increase in renewals compared to 2023.
Patent activities remained steady, with 29 applications received, 8 granted, and 77 patents renewed during the year.
Despite a decline in industrial design applications to 68 from 168 in 2023, PACRA registered 84 designs, demonstrating efficiency in processing. Copyright deposits saw a slight drop, with 199 works filed compared to 216 in 2023.
PACRA reiterated its commitment to enhancing service delivery through digital transformation.
The Agency continues to prioritize automation and the expansion of online services, ensuring seamless access to business registration and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in alignment with the government’s digital transformation agenda.
PACRA encourages the public to leverage its online platforms for efficient service access, as it builds on its success to further drive Zambia’s business and intellectual property ecosystem forward.
Patents And Companies Registration Agency (PACRA)
The Agency