Registrable and Non-Registrable Trademarks under the Nigerian Law



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Submitted Oct 7, 2022
Published Nov 16, 2022
10.24018/ejpolitics.2022.1.5.38

Abstract viewed = 832 times

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A trademark is a mark used in relation to goods for trade in Nigeria. It could be a device, brand, heading, label, name, signature, word, letter, or a combination thereof (Trade Marks Act, Cap. T13 s. 67(1), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004). For a mark to be beneficial to the owner under the Law and have proprietary interest, it must be registered.  It could be registered in part A or Part B of the trademarks register (Trade Marks Act, Ss. 9(1) and 10(1)). Not all marks can be registered under the Law, hence there are registrable and non-registrable marks under the Trade Marks Act. The owner of a Registered trademark has the exclusive right to the use of that trademark in respect of the goods in which it is registered (Procter and Gamble Co. v. Global Soap and Co. Ltd.& Anor, (2013)). It is my recommendation that all marks used in trade should be registered so that the owner will reap from the fruit of his labor by having a monopoly right and action in infringement.

Keywords: Nigerian Law, Non-registrable, Proprietor, Registrable, Trademark.

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