Do foreign brands need to trademark their brands in Nigeria?

Do foreign brands need to trademark their brands in Nigeria?

June 14, 2019

A trademark represents a company or brand once it is legally registered. Trademarks are unique identifiers that can differentiate companies or brands from one another.

A trademark can be a symbol, logo, word or words that represent the image of a company or brand. The importance of trademark is that it protects the identity of the business and takes priority according to who registers it first.

A registered trademark lasts for seven years in Nigeria and can be renewed from time to time.

A trademark can be registered by both Nigerian brands and foreign brands in Nigeria.

A foreign brand in Nigeria needs to register its brand in Nigeria within six (6) months of registration in the home country. The effective date of registration in Nigeria based on the claim of foreign priority will be the date of initial registration in the home country.

 

 

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only, no information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or professional advice from the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer. This post is protected by intellectual property law and regulations. It may however be shared using appropriate sharing tools provided that our authorship is always acknowledged and this Disclaimer Notice attached

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  • Why must I file Annual Returns?

    It is a mandatory statutory requirement under the Companies and Allied Matters Act to file Annual Returns yearly. 
  • What is the first thing I must do to register a business in Nigeria?

    To register a business in Nigeria; you would need to conduct a name search of the business. You can achieve this using your CAC-CRP account.
  • What is an execution clause in a contract?

    This is the section in which the parties sign the contract or agreement.
  • What are the benefits of Registering with SON?
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  • What is the basic criteria for registering a Design?

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  • What’s the difference between a business name and an LLC?

    • A business name is a sole proprietorship, usually owned and managed by one individual only. Legally, the sole proprietor and his business are one. It simply means an individual trading with an alias. The sole proprietor is personally liable for all business related obligations.

    • A limited liability company on the other hand is a separate business entity from the individuals that hold its shares and act as directors. Legally, it’s a separate business entity and a person on its own who can transact business, own property separate from its owners and can sue or be sued. 
  • Can I trademark my logo and name separately? Why is this a good idea?

    Yes you can. The advantage is that it gives you the opportunity to have more than one logo or the opportunity to change your logo easily as opposed to registering the name and the logo as one trademark.
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