Nigeria (NG)

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa; geographically situated between the Sahel to the north, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic Ocean; covering an area of 923,769 square kilometres, with a population of over 211 million. It borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. Nigeria is a federal republic comprising 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where the capital, Abuja, is located. The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos, one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and second largest in Africa.

Intellectual property protection in the Nigeria

Intellectual property office Patents and Designs Registry Commercial Law Department Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment
Website http://www.iponigeria.com/#/
Contact details Block ‘D’ Old Secretariat
Garki, Abuja
(234) 803 334 8806

Patent

Time limit applicable for entry into the PCT national phase 30 months from the priority date
Time limit applicable for filing Conventional application 12 months from the priority date
Language English
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by Nigerian Patent Attorney
Power of Attorney A signed Power of Attorney is required to be filed at the time of filing or later (no set deadline)

Trademark

Filing requirements
  • Request to register the trademark
  • Name and address of the applicant(s)
  • List of good(s) and/or service(s)
  • Representation of the mark
Multiple-class applications No
Power of Attorney A signed Power of Attorney is required to be filed
Opposition period Within four months from publication of the application
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Nigerian Patent Attorney

Industrial Design

Filing requirements
  • A request for registration
  • Applicant(s) name and address
  • Drawings or photographs of design
Multiple design applications No
Power of Attorney A signed Power of Attorney is required to be filed
Examination Formal examination
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Nigerian Design Attorney

Source: WIPO and Wikipedia