The analysis summarizes annual and long-term changes in Rwanda's patent applications and resident filing share.
Patent applications in Rwanda totaled 16 in 2021. Resident applicants filed 14, while nonresident applicants filed 2. Resident applications represented 87.5% of total filings. Total patent applications changed by +166.7% over five years.
In the common comparison year 2021, Rwanda ranked 136th of 155 economies by total patent applications.
Rwanda Patent Applications by Year
Data source: World Bank, World Development Indicators — Patent applications, residents (IP.PAT.RESD); Patent applications, nonresidents (IP.PAT.NRES); Population, total (population); Research and development expenditure, % of GDP (GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS); Researchers in R&D, per million people (SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6).
License: CC BY-4.0. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
About the Indicators
Patent applications, residents. Patent applications filed with a national or regional patent office by applicants resident in the country, via the Paris Convention route or a national filing.
Patent applications, nonresidents. Patent applications filed in the country by applicants resident abroad.
Research and development expenditure, % of GDP. Gross domestic spending on research and development, expressed as a share of GDP.
Researchers in R&D, per million people. Professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes or systems, per million people.