# Trademark registration in Nigeria

> Trademarks in Nigeria are registered with the Trademarks Registry, Commercial Law Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; third parties can oppose within 2 months from publication of the accepted application (s.20 Trade Marks Act). A registration lasts 7 years from the filing date and can be renewed. Nigeria is not in the Madrid System, so a national filing is needed.

Source page: https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/nigeria
Facts checked against official sources: 2026-10-11

## Key facts
- **Trademark office:** Trademarks Registry, Commercial Law Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment
- **Madrid Protocol:** Not a member
- **Opposition period:** 2 months from publication of the accepted application (s.20 Trade Marks Act)
- **Protection:** 7 years from the filing date, renewable

## Official links
- Trademark office: https://www.iponigeria.com/
- Online filing: https://www.iponigeria.com/
- Law: Trade Marks Act (Cap. 436, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990; Cap. T13 LFN 2004) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/5413
- Law: Trade Marks Regulations 1967 — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/3159
- Law: Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 (amends the Trade Marks Act) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/21826
- Law: National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (adopted 6 November 2025) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/24123

## Steps
1. Search the Registry's records for identical or similar marks before filing.
2. File the application online through the Registry's e-filing portal (or its IPPRO mobile app); an acknowledgement is issued immediately.
3. The Registry examines the application and, if there are no issues, issues an acceptance about two weeks after filing.
4. The accepted application is published, and anyone may oppose within two months of publication.
5. If there is no opposition, or it fails, the mark is registered and a certificate issued.

- **Examination:** The Registry examines applications for registrability in Part A (distinctive marks) or Part B (marks capable of distinguishing); the Registry states that an acceptance is issued about two weeks after filing if there are no issues.
- **Publication:** Trade Marks Journal (opposition runs from the date of publication of the Journal).
- **Opposition:** 2 months from publication of the accepted application (s.20(1) Trade Marks Act).
- **Power of attorney:** An executed power of attorney appointing a trademark agent is filed with the application and with renewals (practitioner sources); notarisation was not verified.
- **Language:** English
- **Use requirement:** a registration can be challenged after 5 years of non-use.

## Good to know
- Nigeria is not a member of the Madrid System; protection requires a national application.
- First registration lasts 7 years from the filing date, and each renewal lasts 14 years; renewal is not automatic and an unrenewed mark may be removed.
- The register has two parts: Part A for distinctive marks and Part B for marks capable of distinguishing; a Part A registration becomes largely unchallengeable after seven years except for fraud.
- A registered owner cannot stop a person who has continuously used the same or a similar mark on the same goods since before the owner's own use or registration (s.7), so prior use still matters.
- A mark can be removed for non-use if there has been a continuous five-year period without bona fide use, ending one month before the removal application.

## FAQ
### Is Nigeria part of the Madrid Protocol?
No. Nigeria is not a member of the Madrid System, so a national application must be filed with the Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry.

### How long does a trademark registration last in Nigeria?
The first registration lasts seven years from the filing date, and each renewal lasts fourteen years.

### How long is the trademark opposition period in Nigeria?
Anyone may oppose within two months of publication of the accepted application.

### Can I file a trademark application online in Nigeria?
Yes. The Registry offers online filing through its portal and the IPPRO mobile app, with an acknowledgement issued immediately.

### Can a Nigerian trademark be cancelled for non-use?
Yes. A mark can be removed if it has not been used in good faith for a continuous five-year period ending one month before the removal application.

## Sources
- Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry (online filing): https://www.iponigeria.com/
- WIPO – Nigeria IP office contact: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles/contact?code=ng
- WIPO Lex - Trade Marks Act (Nigeria): https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/5413
- WIPO Lex - Nigeria member profile: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/members/profile/NG
- WIPO Lex - Madrid Protocol contracting parties: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/ShowResults?search_what=C&treaty_id=8

Need a firm that files in Nigeria? Find one at https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/nigeria (TrademarksHub lists IP firms by country; featured placements are paid and labelled).
General information, not legal advice.