TITLE:
Examination of the Legal Effect of Regulation of Trademarks in Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Okubor Cecil Nwachukwu, Nobert Chukwuka Okolie
KEYWORDS:
Trademark, Registration, Intellectual Property, Development, Effect
JOURNAL NAME:
Beijing Law Review,
Vol.13 No.3,
September
8,
2022
ABSTRACT: Trademark as a branch of intellectual property contributes immensely to the economic growth and development of many nations around the world and Nigeria is not an exception. The aim of this paper is to examine the legal effect of registration of trademark with a view to enhancing the economic efficiency of the marketplace by making the products and producers easier to identify by consumers. The article adopts a doctrinal approach based on tracing the meaning and types of trademark, registrable and non-registrable trademark, reasons for trademark registration, procedure for registration of trademark, and the legal effects of registration of trademark in Nigeria. The article finds out that the law, practice, and procedures for registration of trademarks are provided for in the Nigeria Trademark Act. However, the provisions of the Act still remains as it was copied from the United Kingdom Trademark Act of 1938 without any substantial amendment to bring the provisions in tandem with international best practices. The paper therefore recommends that the relevant authorities should take concrete steps to review or amend the present Trademark Act to meet the growing trends in the international sphere. With this, it is expected that the practice of Trademark will blossom to an acceptable international standard in Nigeria.