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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Nigeria

To register a trademark in Nigeria, you must file directly with the Trademarks Registry through an agent: Nigeria is not a member of the Madrid System, and each application covers one class only. A registration lasts 7 years at first and is then renewed every 14 years.

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Trademark registration in Nigeria

Five questions first

Which route?Nigeria cannot be designated through Madrid, so file directly with the Trademarks Registry, one class per application; if your earlier application abroad was filed less than 6 months ago, you can claim priority.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name and address in English, a power of attorney, the mark (non-Roman script such as Chinese with a transliteration and translation) and goods or services for one class; the address for service must be in Nigeria.Details ↓How are official fees charged?NGN 16,750 per application (one class) to file and a certificate fee of NGN 11,750 on registration; several classes need separate applications. Service fees are quoted after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?No official statistics. Statutory steps: 2 months to reply to an examination report and a 2-month opposition period after publication; refusals or oppositions take longer.Details ↓What are the main risks?Neither Madrid nor ARIPO covers Nigeria; descriptive words, place names and surnames struggle to enter Part A; the first term is only 7 years, and renewal is possible only within 3 months before expiry.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Nigeria: key facts

OfficeThe Trademarks Registry of the Commercial Law Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; it shares the IPO Nigeria online portal with the Patents and Designs Registry. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrade Marks Act (Cap. T13; Act No. 29 of 1965, in force since 1 June 1967); procedure in the Trade Marks Regulations 1967
Madrid SystemNot a member, so Nigeria cannot be designated in an international registration; Nigeria is not a member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) either
Effect of registrationNo infringement action can be brought on an unregistered mark, only a claim in passing off; registering a company name does not create trademark rights
RegisterDivided into Part A and Part B: Part A requires distinctiveness, and after 7 years a Part A registration can no longer be challenged (except for fraud and similar cases); Part B requires only that the mark be capable of distinguishing
One class per applicationEach application can cover only one class; several classes need separate applications, each a separate registration. The 45 classes of the Nice Classification are used
Address for serviceApplicants who neither reside nor carry on business in Nigeria can be required to give an address for service in Nigeria; agents act on written authorisation
PriorityClaimed within 6 months of a first application in a Paris Convention country, with a certificate from the office where the earlier application was filed
Response to examination (statutory)Reply in writing or request a hearing within 2 months of an objection; respond to a conditional acceptance within 1 month, otherwise the application is treated as withdrawn
Opposition period (statutory)2 months from publication in the Trade Marks Journal; if opposed, the applicant files a counter-statement within 1 month of receiving the notice of opposition, otherwise the application is treated as abandoned
Term and renewalRegistration dates from the filing date; first term 7 years, then renewals of 14 years each; the renewal fee must be paid within 3 months before expiry
Non-use (statutory)After 5 consecutive years without bona fide use following registration, others can apply for removal
Filing feeNGN 16,750 per application (one class); certificate fee on registration NGN 11,750 per application (current fees published by the Registry)

Checked on 2026-10-06; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Direct filing: whether to claim priority

Nigeria is a member of neither the Madrid System nor ARIPO, so applications through the World Intellectual Property Organization or ARIPO cannot cover Nigeria: an agent must file directly with the Trademarks Registry, one application per class. The real choice for foreign applicants is whether to claim priority from an earlier application filed abroad.

ItemDirect filing (no priority claim)Claiming priority from an earlier application
PrerequisiteNone; use this if you have no earlier application, or if more than 6 months have passed since it was filedFiled in Nigeria within 6 months of the first application abroad, for a mark and goods within the scope of that application
Filing dateThe date of filing with the Trademarks RegistryThe date of the earlier application counts, so applications filed by others in Nigeria in the meantime rank after yours; however, you cannot claim damages for infringement that occurred before registration
What else to doNothingState the country and date of the earlier application when filing, and provide a certificate from the office where it was filed, or other proof accepted by the Registry
Official feesFiling fee per application (one class), and a certificate fee on registrationSame as a direct filing; the Registry's fee schedule has no separate priority fee
Best forYou have not filed elsewhere yet, or your earlier application is more than 6 months oldYou filed elsewhere less than 6 months ago and are concerned that someone may file first in Nigeria

If you are filing across West and East Africa, the ARIPO member states are covered in ARIPO trademark registration, but Nigeria needs a separate application. Not sure? Run a free search first, then submit an order online; the agent will advise based on the search results.

What to prepare

Documents checklist

Applicants filing through a Nigerian agent usually prepare the following information and documents. Signed documents such as a power of attorney are provided following the agent's instructions.

Applicant

  • Name (for a company, its full legal name as registered, in English)
  • Address (in English)

Address for service and authorisation

  • Address for service in Nigeria: if you appoint an agent, the agent provides it
  • Authorisation: the Registry's prescribed form (Form 1) or another written authorisation accepted by the Registry

The mark

  • Word mark: the wording
  • Figurative or combined mark: a clear image
  • Marks with non-Roman characters, such as Chinese, must state the transliteration and English translation on the application, and the language
  • Versions of the same mark that differ only in non-distinctive features such as colour or numbers can be registered together as a series

Goods and services

  • Specific terms by Nice class, one class per application
  • If you apply for a whole class or a very broad list, the Registry can ask whether you use or intend to use the mark for them

Basis of the application

  • You use or intend to use the mark
  • If claiming priority: the date and number of the earlier application, and a certificate from the office where it was filed

Company and business names in Nigeria are registered with the company registry and do not create trademark rights; if you set up a local company or appoint a distributor, the trademark still needs its own application.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: one application per class, with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search for similar marks; you can also request an official search from the Registry, or its preliminary advice on distinctiveness

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    The agent files on the IPO Nigeria online portal and pays the filing fee, one application per class, and receives an application number

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    The Registry searches earlier marks and examines distinctiveness; if there is an objection, reply or request a hearing within 2 months (statutory)

  4. Step 4

    Acceptance and publication

    Once examination is passed, the application is "accepted" and then published in the Trade Marks Journal

  5. Step 5

    Opposition period

    2 months from publication (statutory); if opposed, file a counter-statement within 1 month

  6. Step 6

    Certificate fee and registration

    With no opposition, or once an opposition fails, you pay the certificate fee and the Registry registers the mark and issues the certificate; registration dates back to the filing date

Nigeria publishes no official statistics on examination times, so only the statutory steps are listed here. If registration is not completed within 12 months of filing through the applicant's default and still not after the Registry's notice, the application can be treated as abandoned, so pay the certificate fee promptly.

How to read the periods: "statutory" = set by law; "official statistics" = averages published by the office; "estimate" = typical cases. Actual timing varies.

How much

Official fees

Each application in Nigeria covers only one class, so official fees are charged per application, which amounts to per class: the filing fee on filing and the certificate fee on registration. The table below shows the current fees published by the Registry on the IPO Nigeria website, in naira.

ItemChargedAmount
Paid on filing
Application fee (one class per application, so per class)Per class16,750 NGN
Paid on registration
Certificate fee (payable on registration, per application, i.e. per class)Per class11,750 NGN
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (at the end of the first 7 years, then every 14 years; per registration, i.e. per class; payable within 3 months before expiry)Per class15,500 NGN
Late renewal surcharge (within 1 month of the non-payment notice in the Journal, on top of the renewal fee)Per class9,500 NGN
Other
Official availability search (optional, before filing)Per application2,500 NGN
Recordal of assignment (per registration)Per application18,500 NGN
Recordal of change of applicant name (per application or registration)Per application11,500 NGN
Recordal of change of applicant address (per application or registration)Per application11,500 NGN
Recordal of a registered user (licensee) (per registration)Per application18,500 NGN
Recordal of merger (per registration)Per application18,500 NGN

Source: IPO Nigeria (Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Commercial Law Department, Trademark Registry), Services & Fees (the office’s site currently presents a certificate for a different domain; your browser may show a security warning) · checked on 2026-10-07 · The Bank of China publishes no rate for this currency, so fees are shown in the original currency only

Official fees are as published by the office; the service fee is quoted by an agent after you submit, and you pay only after accepting the quote.

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Example: the same mark in 3 classes needs 3 applications, so filing costs 3 × NGN 16,750 = NGN 50,250; on registration, a further 3 × NGN 11,750 = NGN 35,250, for NGN 85,500 in total.

The Registry's fee schedule makes no distinction between domestic and foreign applicants and has no US dollar rates.

Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to Nigeria and common refusals

These are common issues in Nigerian examination, along with Nigeria-specific rules that are easy to overlook.

Neither Madrid nor ARIPO covers Nigeria

Nigeria is a member of neither the Madrid System nor ARIPO. It cannot be designated in an international registration or an ARIPO application, so when planning protection across Africa, budget for Nigeria separately, with a separate application in each class.

Part A and Part B registrations

Nigeria keeps a register in two parts. Part A requires a distinctive element, such as an invented word, a word with no direct reference to the goods, or a name or signature represented in a special manner; a mark that is not distinctive enough can be moved to Part B with the applicant's consent. After 7 years, a Part A registration can no longer be challenged (except for fraud and similar cases); Part B offers no such protection.

Descriptive words, place names and surnames

Words that directly describe the character or quality of the goods, and words that in their ordinary meaning are place names or surnames, cannot enter Part A on their own merits; acquired distinctiveness must be shown. The Registry can require a disclaimer for common or non-distinctive parts of a mark.

Identical or similar earlier marks

The Registry searches earlier registrations and applications; a mark identical or similar to an earlier mark for goods in the same class, and likely to cause confusion, is not registered, except in special cases such as honest concurrent use.

A 7-year first term and a 3-month renewal window

The first term runs 7 years from the filing date, shorter than the 10 years in most countries. The renewal fee can only be paid within 3 months before expiry; if it is not paid by expiry, the Registry publishes a notice in the journal, and the renewal fee plus a surcharge must be paid within 1 month of that notice to keep the registration, otherwise it can be removed.

Hard to enforce without registration

In Nigeria an unregistered mark cannot support an infringement action, only a passing-off claim, with a heavy burden of proof; registering a local company or business name does not give trademark rights either.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

A Nigerian registration needs no periodic evidence of use, but the first term is only 7 years with a short renewal window, and continuous non-use can lead to removal.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
Any time after registrationKeep using the mark in good faith in Nigeria and keep evidence; after 5 consecutive years of non-use, others can apply for removalNone
Within 3 months before expiry (first term: 7 years from the filing date; then every 14 years)Pay the renewal fee; each class is a separate registration and is renewed separatelyNGN 15,500 (per registration)
After expiry, within 1 month of the Registry's noticePay the renewal fee and a surcharge so the registration is not removedRenewal fee plus NGN 9,500
After removalApply for restoration, granted if the Registry considers it just; for 1 year after removal, the mark can still block similar applications by othersRenewal fee plus a restoration fee (no amount listed in the Registry's fee schedule)
Any timeRecord assignments; changes of name or address; register licensees as registered usersAssignment or registered user NGN 18,500 each; change of name or address NGN 11,500 each

Once a licensee is registered as a "registered user", its use counts as use by the owner and can be relied on against removal for non-use.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Nigeria

How much does a Nigeria trademark cost?

Each application covers only one class. The filing fee is NGN 16,750 per application and the certificate fee on registration NGN 11,750, NGN 28,500 per class in total; 3 classes, for example, cost NGN 85,500. The Registry's fee schedule makes no distinction between domestic and foreign applicants. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration in Nigeria take?

Nigeria publishes no official statistics on examination times. The statutory steps are 2 months to reply to an examination report and a 2-month opposition period after publication; refusals or oppositions take longer.

Can I designate Nigeria through the Madrid System?

No. Nigeria is not on the list of Madrid members published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, and ARIPO applications do not cover Nigeria either. For protection in Nigeria, appoint an agent to file directly with the Trademarks Registry; if your earlier application abroad was filed less than 6 months ago, you can claim priority.

Do foreign applicants need a local agent in Nigeria?

The Registry can require applicants who neither reside nor carry on business in Nigeria to give an address for service in Nigeria, and its website states that foreign applicants need a local address for service or a local agent. If you appoint a Nigerian agent, the agent files on your written authorisation and its address serves as the address for service.

How long does a Nigeria trademark last?

Registration dates from the filing date; the first term is 7 years, and each renewal lasts 14 years. The renewal fee must be paid within 3 months before expiry; if it is not paid by then, the Registry publishes a notice in the journal, and you can still renew within 1 month of the notice by paying a surcharge. After that the registration can be removed, and only restoration is possible.

Can I register a mark in Chinese or another non-Roman script?

Yes. If the mark contains Chinese or other non-Roman characters, the application must state their transliteration and English translation, and the language. Registration protects only the form registered; if you mainly use an English or romanised version in Nigeria, it is advisable to file that version separately.

Other IP rights

Patents: Nigerian patents expire 20 years from the filing date and are kept in force by annual fees (with a 6-month grace period); the Registry examines formalities only and grants patents without examining novelty or other substantive conditions. Nigeria has been a PCT member since 8 May 2005, so PCT applications can enter Nigeria.

Designs: registered designs last 5 years from the filing date, renewable twice for 5 years each, up to 15 years; Nigeria is not a member of the Hague Agreement, so a separate application is needed.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Ghana · Kenya · South Africa · Egypt · Morocco · Algeria · African Intellectual Property Organization

Downloads

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Enter the mark, classes and applicant; an agent quotes after you submit. Once you accept the quote you pay online and can follow progress in your account.

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