Nigerian Patent

How to file a Nigerian patent:

1. Register or login
2. Complete the online application form
3. Download, sign, scan and upload forms
4. Pay US$400 filing fee

Filing requirements:

• Applicant's full name and address;
• Description of the invention (with drawings, if appropriate) and claims;
• Declaration by the inventor;
• Power of Attorney (without legalisation or certification);
• (if priority is claimed):
  • Name of the applicant (priority application);
  • Copy of the priority document
  • (if the priority document is not in English) an English translation of the priority document with translator's notice.

No documents need to be commissioned, notarized or legalised.

No original documents need to be couriered to us.

Costs:

Online filing:

• Filing: US$400
• Courier registration certificate (optional): US$110 (up to 10 Nigerian patent certificates may be include in a courier parcel)

Deadline:

PCT patents can be extended to Nigeria within 30 months of the priority date.

Filing receipt and number:

We will email you a filing receipt and application number within a couple of days of filing.

Patent exclusions:

Apart from the general requirement that the invention must be novel (absolute / worldwide novelty), inventive and capable of industrial application, Nigerian patent law does not permit patents for:

• plant of animal varieties;
• essentially biological process for the production of plants or animals (other than microbiological processes and their products); or
• inventions the publication or exploitation of which would be contrary to public order or morality.

Prosecution:

• No substantive examination
• Applications are typically accepted within a couple of months of filing
• Status updates are sent by email
• Manage and track prosecution via your online portfolio

Timelines:

• Filing: within 1 business day of payment
• Acceptance: typically within a couple of months of filing
• Receipt of registration certificate: typically within 4 months of filing
• Publication and grant: typically within 12 months of grant

Country rules:

Nigerian patent law permits:

• Multi-dependent claims
• Multiple independent claims, provided that there is unity of invention
• Reference numerals in claims

Language:

Nigerian patent applications must be filed in English.

Sequence listing:

If required, a sequence listing may be uploaded to the system on filing. However, if the sequence listing was lodged with WIPO a copy need not be lodged with the Nigerian Patent Office.

Amendments:

The Nigerian national phase patent application may be amended upon filing. Special arrangements will need to be made with us.

Nigerian patents may be amended after grant, provided that the scope of the claims is not increased.

Renewals:

Nigerian patents must be renewed annually from the PCT filing date. We suggest paying historical renewals on filing the Nigerian patent. Subsequent Nigerian patent renewals are processed by the PayAnnuity patent renewal system. Nigerian patents may be renewed "to term" (i.e payment of all 19 renewals / annuities) for only US$530 (where the patent was filed by us).

How to file a patent