WHERE TO REGISTER TRADEMARK IN NIGERIA

WHERE TO REGISTER TRADEMARK

The best place where a trademark can be registered in Nigeria is the place of trademark agents, who are mainly lawyers. A trademark agent such as the Resolution Law Firm maintains two offices in Lagos and an office in Abuja where a trademark application can be submitted for registration. Resolution Law Firm is an accredited trademark agent, which has handled hundreds of trademark applications for individuals and both local & foreign entities in Nigeria.

The Firm maintains offices in the following locations:

A trademark applicant may reach the firm via email at info@resolutionlawng.com or WhatsApp at +2348099223322.

A Trademark is a recognizable word or words, signs, or expressions registered to represent or identify a company, products, or services, so as to distinguish particular goods or services in the marketplace. Accredited agents usually file a Trademark at the Trademark Registry Abuja.

For a trademark to be registered, it must contain the following requirements:

• A name of a company or individual, the applicant.
• Contact details of the applicant
• An invented word or words. The word or words having no direct reference to the character or quality of goods not being in its ordinary specification a geographical name or surname
• Power of Attorney where applicable

Filing a trademark application in the Trademark, Patents and Design Registry in Nigeria requires that the applicant comply with the requirements of the Trade Marks Act.

Steps for registering trademarks in Nigeria:

1. The applicant will provide the name, address, email, and phone numbers
2. A description of the class of a good or service to be registered will be required for filing.
3. A logo to represent a good or service where applicable.
4. Where the mark is a non-English word, a translation of the words in English will be provided for filing.
5. Thereafter a search is conducted to find out if the proposed trademark is not similar to any existing marks.
6. Where the search is successful, the application be filed and the official payment will be made
7. Upon filing, the Trademark Registrar issues a Formal Acknowledgment form of a receipt showing the official number and date of filing the application.
8. If the registrar is satisfied with the distinctiveness of the mark and that there is no similar mark and has thoroughly examined the mark to assess if it is eligible for registration, a notice of acceptance will be issued to the applicant.
9. The acceptance letter is evidence that the trademark has been registered; and thereafter the trademark is published in the Trademark Journal for any opposition to be raised within 2 months from the date of publication
10. Where no opposition or objection is raised within the given period, the Certificate of Registration will be applied for at the Trademark Registry.

Trademark Agents

Before an applicant can proceed with the trademark registration process, there is a need to identify and instruct a trademark agent or lawyer in Nigeria, who will help with the filing and processing of the application at the Trademark Registry.

Trademark Registration Office

The central trademark registration office in Nigeria is the Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry, which is located in Shehu Shagari Way, Commercial Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment Abuja, Nigeria. However, it is recommended that every applicant hire the service of a trademark-accredited agent for any trademark registration. A trademark agent like the Resolution Law Firm has trademark registration offices in Ikeja Lagos, Lekki and Abuja. However, a trademark can even be registered by an applicant without physically visiting the firm’s office. All the requirements for trademark registration can be submitted online through email or WhatsApp.

In closing, under Nigerian law, individuals or companies can apply to register trademarks, however, trademark filing is usually done through accredited agents who are specialized in filing trademarks at the Trademark Registry.

By the Intellectual Property Law Department at the Resolution Law Firm. Resolution Law Firm is a licensed Trademark Agent, based in Lagos, Nigeria

Email: info@resolutionlawng.com

Tel: | WhatsApp 08099223322