A trademark is an indicator (usually a design) that’s associated with a particular brand, used to either express the brand’s identity or to distinguish its product from competitors. Getting a trademark is as easy as forming a company name and making designs to represent it. However, registering a trademark is what puts the ice on the cake, and that’s usually that simple.
While that’s the case, getting to register your trademark isn’t a herculean task either. The only issue is that it can be a pretty lengthy process especially if you don’t know how to go about it. Nevertheless, we’ll outline the process of getting your trademark registered in Nigeria.
Procedure to Getting a Trademark in Nigeria
Step 1: Search and Application
First, you want to contact a law firm, and brief them about your intentions to have your trademark (brand name, symbol, logo, etc.) registered. Then they search the Nigerian trademark database for any conflicting or possible trademark under the same classification – if none, you can proceed with the application.
Next, the registrar issues an acknowledgment of the application to you. In this stage, you’re a shoo-in for getting your trademark registered, however, success isn’t a total guarantee. Meanwhile, you want to keep in mind that the search and application process attracts some fees.
Step 2: Acceptance
If your application is approved, the registry will proceed to issue you an acceptance letter to provide evidence that the trademark has been registered. In this stage, you’ve officially got your trademark registered.
Step 3: Publication and Certification
The final stage is where the registrar publishes your application and acceptance notification in the Nigerian Trademark Journal. The publication gives people and organizations who believe the trademark poses a conflict of interest to any pre-existing trademark the opportunity to protest and file their complaints.
In the event that opposition is received, the applicant (you) will have to respond within one month from when you receive the notification from the registrar – failure to respond in due time means you’ve abandoned the application. If there’s no opposition or any opposition has been successfully resolved, you’ll receive the Certificate of Registration for the trademark.
Requirements for Trademark Registration in Nigeria
The following is what’s needed to get your trademark registered in Nigeria.
- Applicant’s details
- Trademark information
- Items to be represented by the trademark
- An agent/attorney
