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Registering trademark in Nigeria is provided for by Trade Marks Act LFN 1990. Obtaining a trademark registration in Nigeria is a crucial way to protect and distinguish one’s trade mark.
The government agency in charge of Trademarks in Nigeria is Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry, Commercial Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in Nigeria.
Trademark registration in Nigeria gives the owner the right to exclude others from violating or wilfully using the registered mark, symbol or logo by a third party without consent. A trademark license holder can institute an infringement action in court against the unauthorized use of its trademark by any person or entity. The owner of a registered trademark also has the right to oppose any future trademark registration that may infringe on its registered trademark.
Procedure for Registering Trademark in Nigeria
There are five major stages involved in registering and obtaining Trademark License at the Trademark Registry in Nigeria. These stages are:
A search is conducted on the trademark to examine and determine if it is not in conflict with a registered trademark or too similar with any existing mark. A search must be conducted at the appropriate class. If a single trademark is to be registered in multiple classes, the search must be conducted in each of the classes. Conducting search attract official fees.
The Trademark Registrar will issue an Acknowledgement Letter, which contains the application details of the proprietor and mark to be registered upon the recipient of the application. It is important to state that the Acknowledgement Letter issued is only an acknowledgement of the application and not an Acceptance letter as the trademark can still be refused for registration after successful search.
The purpose of the publication is to afford any interested person who considers the trademark to conflict with an existing mark the opportunity to oppose or object to the registration within two (2) months of the publication. Also any person or organization who considers that a trademark being sought may likely confuse or mislead the public in light of any pre-existing trademarks or the trademark is against public policy may protest to the Registrar to stop such registration by filing a Notice of Opposition in a prescribed form. The Notice of Opposition must contain the grounds upon which the protest is made.
The Registrar will notify the applicant of any protest or opposition received. The Applicant may respond to such opposition within one month from the date of receipt of such notice from the Registrar. An Applicant who fails to respond to the opposition received by filing his counter-statement may be deemed to have abandoned his or her application. Where the Registrar received the response of the applicant stating why the applicant is entitled to such trademark, the Registrar shall constitute a Tribunal to determine the conflict in favour of one of the contending parties.
Requirements for obtaining Trademark in Nigeria
The list of requirements for the registration of trademark include the followings:
Cost of obtaining a Trademark License
The cost of registering trademark in Nigeria ordinarily includes the filing fees and the professional fee of the lawyer or agent handling such application. The total cost, including the professional fee for registering a trademark, may range between $450 to about $600. Every intending applicant may contact a trademark accredited agent for individual negotiation of the total cost of registration. However, the total cost must include all stages of trademark registration, which are Search, Acceptance and Certification. It is advisable to employ the service of a trademark lawyer to complete the entire process up to the completion or final stage of the registration.
Trademarks are classified into 45 different classes of goods and services in accordance with the Nice International System of Classification. Every Applicant needs to understand the classes the registering trademark belongs to or closely align with.
A trademark License can be obtained in more than one class where the Applicant is seeking protection in all classes. And where the Applicant is seeking protection in multiple classes, separate registration fees must be paid for each of the classes. The 45 trademark classes are as follows:
Class 1: Chemicals used in industry, science and photography, as well as in agriculture, horticulture and forestry; unprocessed artificial resins, unprocessed plastics; manures; fire extinguishing compositions; tempering and soldering preparations; chemical substances for preserving foodstuffs; tanning substances; adhesives used in industry; unprocessed plastics in the form of liquids, chips or granules.
Class 2: Paints, varnishes, lacquers; preservatives against rust and against deterioration of wood; colorants; mordants; raw natural resins; metals in foil and powder form for painters, decorators, printers and artists.
Class 3: Bleaching preparations and other substances for laundry use; cleaning, polishing, scouring and abrasive preparations; soaps; perfumery, essential oils, cosmetics, hair lotions; dentifrices.
Class 4: Industrial oils and greases; lubricants; dust absorbing, wetting and binding compositions; fuels and illuminants; candles and wicks for lighting; combustible fuels, electricity and scented candles.
Class 5: Pharmaceutical and veterinary preparations; sanitary preparations for medical purposes; dietetic food and substances adapted for medical or veterinary use, food for babies; dietary supplements for humans and animals; plasters, materials for dressings; material for stopping teeth, dental wax; disinfectants; preparations for destroying vermin; fungicides, herbicides.
Class 6: Common metals and their alloys; metal building materials; transportable buildings of metal; materials of metal for railway tracks; non-electric cables and wires of common metal; ironmongery, small items of metal hardware; pipes and tubes of metal; safes; goods of common metal not included in other classes; ores; unwrought and partly wrought common metals; metallic windows and doors; metallic framed conservatories.
Class 7: Machines and machine tools; motors and engines (except for land vehicles); machine coupling and transmission components (except for land vehicles); agricultural implements other than hand-operated; incubators for eggs; automatic vending machines.
Class 8: Hand tools and hand operated implements; cutlery; side arms; razors; electric razors and hair cutters.
Class 9: Scientific, nautical, surveying, photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signalling, checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting, switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling electricity; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; magnetic data carriers, recording discs; compact discs, DVDs and other digital recording media; mechanisms for coin-operated apparatus; cash registers, calculating machines, data processing equipment, computers; computer software; fire-extinguishing apparatus.
Class 10: Surgical, medical, dental and veterinary apparatus and instruments, artificial limbs, eyes and teeth; orthopaedic articles; suture materials; sex aids; massage apparatus; supportive bandages; furniture adapted for medical use.
Class 11: Apparatus for lighting, heating, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply and sanitary purposes; air conditioning apparatus; electric kettles; gas and electric cookers; vehicle lights and vehicle air conditioning units.
Class 12: Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water; wheelchairs; motors and engines for land vehicles; vehicle body parts and transmissions.
Class 13: Firearms; ammunition and projectiles, explosives; fireworks.
Class 14: Precious metals and their alloys; jewellery, costume jewellery, precious stones; horological and chronometric instruments, clocks and watches.
Class 15: Musical instruments; stands and cases adapted for musical instruments.
Class 16: Paper, cardboard and goods made from these materials, not included in other classes; printed matter; bookbinding material; photographs; stationery; adhesives for stationery or household purposes; artists’ materials; paint brushes; typewriters and office requisites (except furniture); instructional and teaching material (except apparatus); plastic materials for packaging (not included in other classes); printers’ type; printing blocks.
Class 17: Rubber, gutta-percha, gum, asbestos, mica and goods made from these materials; plastics in extruded form for use in manufacture; semi-finished plastics materials for use in further manufacture; stopping and insulating materials; flexible non-metallic pipes.
Class 18: Leather and imitations of leather; animal skins, hides; trunks and travelling bags; handbags, rucksacks, purses; umbrellas, parasols and walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery; clothing for animals.
Class 19: Non-metallic building materials; non-metallic rigid pipes for building; asphalt, pitch and bitumen; non-metallic transportable buildings; non-metallic monuments; non-metallic framed conservatories, doors and windows.
Class 20: Furniture, mirrors, picture frames; articles made of wood, cork, reed, cane, wicker, horn, bone, ivory, whalebone, shell, amber, mother-of-pearl, meerschaum or plastic which are not included in other classes; garden furniture; pillows and cushions.
Class 21: Household or kitchen utensils and containers; combs and sponges; brushes; brush-making materials; articles for cleaning purposes; steel wool; articles made of ceramics, glass, porcelain or earthenware which are not included in other classes; electric and non-electric toothbrushes.
Class 22: Ropes, string, nets, tents, awnings, tarpaulins, sails, sacks for transporting bulk materials; padding and stuffing materials which are not made of rubber or plastics; raw fibrous textile materials.
Class 23: Yarns and threads, for textile use.
Class 24: Textiles and textile goods; bed and table covers; travellers’ rugs, textiles for making articles of clothing; duvets; covers for pillows, cushions or duvets.
Class 25: Clothing, footwear, headgear.
Class 26: Lace and embroidery, ribbons and braid; buttons, hooks and eyes, pins and needles; artificial flowers.
Class 27: Carpets, rugs, mats and matting, linoleum and other materials for covering existing floors; wall hangings (non-textile); wallpaper.
Class 28: Games and playthings; playing cards; gymnastic and sporting articles; decorations for Christmas trees; childrens’ toy bicycles.
Class 29: Meat, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts; preserved, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables; jellies, jams, compotes; eggs, milk and milk products; edible oils and fats; prepared meals; soups and potato crisps.
Class 30: Coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, rice, tapioca, sago, artificial coffee; flour and preparations made from cereals, bread, pastry and confectionery, ices; honey, treacle; yeast, baking-powder; salt, mustard; vinegar, sauces (condiments); spices; ice; sandwiches; prepared meals; pizzas, pies and pasta dishes.
Class 31: Agricultural, horticultural and forestry products; live animals; fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, natural plants and flowers; foodstuffs for animals; malt; food and beverages for animals.
Class 32: Beers; mineral and aerated waters; non-alcoholic drinks; fruit drinks and fruit juices; syrups for making beverages; shandy, de-alcoholised drinks, non-alcoholic beers and wines.
Class 33: Alcoholic wines; spirits and liqueurs; alcohols; alcoholic cocktails.
Class 34: Tobacco; smokers’ articles; matches; lighters for smokers.
Class 35: Advertising; business management; business administration; office functions; electronic data storage; organisation, operation and supervision of loyalty and incentive schemes; advertising services provided via the Internet; production of television and radio advertisements; accountancy; auctioneering; trade fairs; opinion polling; data processing; provision of business information; retail services connected with the sale of goods.
Class 36: Insurance; financial services; real estate agency services; building society services; banking; stock broking; financial services provided via the Internet; issuing of tokens of value in relation to bonus and loyalty schemes; provision of financial information.
Class 37: Building construction; repair; installation services; installation, maintenance and repair of computer hardware; painting and decorating; cleaning services.
Class 38: Telecommunications services; chat room services; portal services; e-mail services; providing user access to the Internet; radio and television broadcasting.
Class 39: Transport; packaging and storage of goods; travel arrangement; distribution of electricity; travel information; provision of car parking facilities.
Class 40: Treatment of materials; development, duplicating and printing of photographs; generation of electricity.
Class 41: Education; providing of training; entertainment; sporting and cultural activities.
Class 42: Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software; computer programming; installation, maintenance and repair of computer software; computer consultancy services; design, drawing and commissioned writing for the compilation of websites; creating, maintaining and hosting the websites of others; design services.
Class 43: Services for providing food and drink; temporary accommodation; restaurant, bar and catering services; provision of holiday accommodation; booking and reservation services for restaurants and holiday accommodation; retirement home services; creche services.
Class 44: Medical services; veterinary services; hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals; agriculture, horticulture and forestry services; dentistry services; medical analysis for the diagnosis and treatment of persons; pharmacy advice; garden design services.
Class 45: Legal services; conveyancing services; security services for the protection of property and individuals; social work services; consultancy services relating to health and safety; consultancy services relating to personal appearance; provision of personal tarot readings; dating services; funeral services and undertaking services; fire-fighting services; detective agency services.
There are several benefits accrued for registering trademark in Nigeria. Such benefits include brand and identity protection from any infringement by a third party, promoting trust and goodwill of consumers, differentiating one’s product from another in the marketplace.
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