Trademark Lawyers in Nigeria Trademark Lawyers in Nigeria In particular, AAED Law IP practice offers client trademark services as the following: Trademark Availability Searches in Nigeria Trademark Watch Service Trademark Filings & Trademark Registrations Renewals Recordals of Amendments, Assignments, Merger Agreements, Licences Filing Opposition & Responses We process our client’s trademark registration by carrying out the following: Providing our clients with cost estimates for searching and filing applications Conducting comprehensive clearance searches including analysis of registration of the required trademarks and providing advice on the most appropriate and cost-effective method to obtain a clearance Preparing and filing trademark applications in Nigeria, including obtaining appropriate legalization of documents and translations (if applicable) Responding to objections raised by Registrars and potential third party oppositions Negotiating settlement agreements when necessary to overcome prior marks Obtaining a Certificate of Trademark Registration once your trademark is approved Recording changes in name and address of proprietor, assignments, licenses, and renewals of trademarks Providing solutions for trademark protection in Nigeria. Please contact our IP lawyers in Nigeria for advice. Email at admin@aaedlaw.com. Trademark lawyers in Nigeria

Trademark Lawyers in Nigeria

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AAED Law practice offers the following services:
Trademark availability search in Nigeria;
Trademark watch Service in Nigeria;
Trademark registration in Nigeria;
Trademark renewal in Nigeria;
Trademark recordal in Nigeria – amendments, assignments, licences;
Trademark opposition in Nigeria.

Trademark Lawyers in Nigeria

Trademark Search in Nigeria Trademark Search in Nigeria is necessary to find if there is any registered or pending mark on the trademarks register that may be cited against a trademark application in the same goods and services. Trademark registration is territorial which means you should conduct brand research in Nigeria in which you wish to manufacture, use or sell your goods or services. It is essential that a search (often referred to as "trademark availability search") is conducted prior to the filing of an application so that the applicant can have some certainty about access to the Nigerian market through the registration of his trademark. AAED LAW assists clients to protect their brand and protect intellectual property. Our attorneys are experienced in trademarks and have a proven track record of countless smooth trademarks registered in Nigeria. Our firm represents brands from around the world. We are experienced with obtaining grants of difficult marks and overcoming objections raised by the Nigerian Trademark Office. Why is trademark Search in Nigeria important? A trademark search in Nigeria informs brand owners about whether they have the freedom to use their intended mark, or if a similar mark is already in use and registered by another in Nigeria. Carrying out a trademark search allows brand owners to assess their chances of being able to register a mark in Nigeria and modify their brand strategy accordingly. Doing a trademark search in Nigeria prior is essential for market access and a successful product launch, which can save brand owners valuable time and money in the long run. . How AAED LAW Could Help? Please contact our IP lawyers for any assistance or enquiries. Email at admin@aaedlaw.com. . Trademark Search in Nigeria 

Trademark Search in Nigeria

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Trademark Search in Nigeria is necessary to find if there is any registered or pending mark on the trademarks register that may be cited against a trademark application in the same goods and services.

Trademark registration is territorial which means you should conduct brand research in Nigeria in which you wish to manufacture, use or sell your goods or services.

How to defend a trademark opposition in Nigeria If you are the owner of a trademark and have applied to have it registered in Nigeria, then you know its value and you have a commercial interest in ensuring your brand is protected. To respond to or defend a trademark opposition in Nigeria, you must file a Counterstatement within one month of receiving the Notice of Opposition from the Nigerian Trademark Office. Evidence stages will follow, wherein you’ll have an opportunity to provide your own material to dispute the Opponent’s claims. After the evidence is filed and exchanged, the Nigeria Trademarks Tribunal will make a decision. Appeals from the Trademarks Tribunal lie to the Federal High Court of Nigeria. Appeals from the Federal High Court are made to the Court of Appeal of Nigeria and a final appeal lies with the Supreme Court of Nigeria. If your trademark registration is opposed, it is highly recommended that you seek professional advice. Our attorneys have in-depth knowledge of the stages of proceedings and can provide guidance to help you determine your options and successfully defend your registration. Alternatively, if you are opposing a trademark registration in Nigeria then our attorneys can help you reach a successful opposition by correctly preparing and filing evidence. If you would like to defend a trademark opposition in Nigeria or need assistance overcoming opposition in Nigeria, please contact our attorneys directly, email at admin@aaedlaw.com. How to defend a trademark opposition in Nigeria

HOW TO DEFEND A TRADEMARK OPPOSITION IN NIGERIA

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How to defend a trademark opposition in Nigeria. If you are the owner of a trademark and have applied to have it registered in Nigeria, then you know its value and you have a commercial interest in ensuring your brand is protected.

To respond to or defend a trademark opposition in Nigeria, you must file a Counterstatement within one month of receiving the Notice of Opposition from the Nigerian Trademark Office.

Commercialization of Intellectual Property

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We draft and negotiate agreements related to patents, trademarks, domains, software, know-how and other intellectual property rights including but not limited to licensing agreements, non-disclosure agreements, IP sales/purchase agreements, and assignment contracts. Search trademark design searches Draft applications for patents, utility models, trademarks. File convention priority and national phases filings. Oppositions and appeals

Trademark renewal in Nigeria. After registration, a registered trademark is in force for 7 years. After the 7-year period, the owner of the trademark can opt to keep the trademark active by paying the appropriate renewal fees. Trademark renewal in Nigeria can be done every 14 years from the date of filing, indefinitely so long as the trademark continues to be used as a trademark in Nigeria. Renewal of a trademark registration in Nigeria can be conducted as early as 12 months before the renewal due date. You can still renew up to six months past the trademark renewal date in Nigeria. However, additional fees for extension will be added to the renewal fees. AAED attorneys help prevent any additional fees being incurred or lapsing of the registration by sending you timely reminders before renewal is due. Consequences of non-renewal of a trademark in Nigeria Failure to renew a trademark by the expiry date means that the trademark will lose any rights and will be labeled lapsed. However, registration can be renewed within a six-month period after the renewal date. When this period has elapsed, the trademark may be deleted from the Nigerian Trade Marks Register. Unless you can successfully get an extension of time, you may need to lodge a new application for the trademark. Your trademark attorney can advise you of your options should you miss a renewal deadline. If your business has been actively gaining goodwill associated with the trademark, a lapsed trademark opens up a window for opportunistic trademark filings by any competitors for a similar or identical trademark in respect of the same goods and classes. Therefore, it is in your best interest to stay informed of the important dates in your trademark’s timeline and to keep your registration up to date. If you need assistance to renew a trademark in Nigeria, please contact our attorneys directly, email at admin@aaedlaw.com. Trademark Renewal in Nigeria

Trademark Renewal in Nigeria

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Trademark renewal in Nigeria. After registration, a registered trademark is in force for 7 years. After the 7-year period, the owner of the trademark can opt to keep the trademark active by paying the appropriate renewal fees. Trademark renewal in Nigeria can be done every 14 years from the date of filing, indefinitely so long as the trademark continues to be used as a trademark in Nigeria.

NAFDAC Registration Agent - why is it required? The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, import, export, distribution, advertising, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, and packaged water in Nigeria. Any foreign company engaging in the manufacture, export, distribution, advertising, or sale of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, and packaged water in Nigeria must designate a NAFDAC Agent as its importer of record for the purpose of the NAFDAC registration. The NAFDAC registration agent must be a company registered in Nigeria. Our company acts as a NAFDAC registration agent on behalf of foreign manufacturers and exporters from around the world seeking a product launch in Nigeria. Our responsibilities as NAFDAC registration agents cover the following: Providing compliance services for manufacturers and exporters whose products are regulated by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Assisting NAFDAC in scheduling inspections of a foreign manufacturer's facility; Assisting NAFDAC in communications with a foreign manufacturer; Renewal of our clients' product registration with NAFDAC; Assisting with trademark registration, brand protection, and anti-counterfeiting services in Nigeria; Assisting with patent registration in Nigeria. Whether you are a food, beverage, pharmacuetical, cosmetic, or a medical device company looking for business expansion or a product launch in Nigeria; we got you covered. Contact us today or email at admin@aaedlaw.com.

NAFDAC Registration Agent

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NAFDAC Registration Agent: Why is it required? The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, import, export, distribution, advertising, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, and packaged water in Nigeria.

Any foreign company engaging in the manufacture, export, distribution, advertising, or sale of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, and packaged water in Nigeria must designate a NAFDAC Agent as its importer of record for the purpose of the NAFDAC registration.

Trademark Opposition in Nigeria is the formal process by which a third party objects to the registration of a trademark in Nigeria. Oppositions can be filed by any person who believes they will be adversely impacted or commercially damaged by the registration of a pending trademark application. How to Oppose a Trademark in Nigeria If you believe a pending trademark resembles your own brand too closely, is confusingly similar, and covers the same or similar goods or services, then you may consider opposing that trademark application in Nigeria. The opposition process is time-bound and follows a strict timeline of actions that must be performed to avoid the opposition being dismissed. In Nigeria, you have 2 months from the date of the advertisement of the offending trademark in the Journal to start the process of opposition. A Notice of Intention to Oppose needs to be filed. Once a person files a Notice of Intention to Oppose, setting out the grounds upon which the mark should not proceed to registration, they will then be considered the ‘Opponent’. Within one month of receiving the Notice of Intention of the Opponent, the Applicant of the mark must file a Counterstatement, otherwise, the trademark application in Nigeria would be deemed abandoned. Grounds for Trademark Opposition in Nigeria Some of the grounds for opposing a trademark registration in Nigeria are as follows: The trademark is not capable of distinguishing the applicant’s goods and/or services from those of other traders; The trademark is similar to an earlier trademark that acquired a reputation in Nigeria; The applicant does not intend to use the trademark; The trademark is substantially identical with and/or deceptively similar to an earlier trademark. As the Opponent, you must file a Statutory Declaration in support of the Notice of Opposition. The evidence in support essentially provides information and evidence in the form of a declaration that supports the grounds upon which the registration of the trademark is opposed. The trademark applicant will have an opportunity to respond by filing its own evidence. Take notice that the Trademark Office in Nigeria will not notify you if a similar trademark to your own brand is filed. It is your responsibility as a trademark owner to monitor and watch the market for potential infringement and act accordingly. We assist our clients by carrying out a regular trademark watching service in Nigeria with a view to taking action against any new trademark applications of concern to our clients. If you would like to commence a trademark opposition in Nigeria or need assistance overcoming opposition in Nigeria, please contact our attorneys directly, email at admin@aaedlaw.com.

Trademark Opposition in Nigeria

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Trademark opposition in Nigeria is the formal process by which a third party objects to the registration of a trademark in Nigeria.

Oppositions can be filed by any person who believes they will be adversely impacted or commercially damaged by the registration of a pending trademark application.