Recent Developments in Intellectual Property Law in Nigeria

Abstract:     
Key Point – This article provides an overview of the developments in the field of Intellectual Property (IP) in Nigeria and highlights key issues in 10 recent judgments on IP Law in Nigeria. The cases are organized thematically according to the type of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) protected under the Nigerian legal system such as trademarks, copyrights, patents, and designs. The decision to pen this Article is borne out of a conversation with a colleague in New York, who seemed surprised to learn that I had worked as an IP lawyer in Nigeria. My colleague was aware of the existence of laws on IPRs in Nigeria but he confided that he thought IPRs were not given serious consideration or enforcement taken seriously, in the event of an infringement of an IPR. Although, I was not too surprised by the line of thinking, especially because it was not the first time I had heard such views expressed, I decided that there was something I could do about it, hence this article.

Practical Significance – To provide a practical insight into the laws and practice of IPR in Nigeria through the review of decided cases & reported judgments. Within the limits of candor, brevity and clarity, I have attempted as much as possible to summarize the cases reviewed.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 9

Keywords: Copyright, Designs, Intellectual Property, IP, IPRs, Nigeria, NAFDAC, Trademarks, TRIPS, Patents, WIPO, WTO

JEL Classification: A23, K00, K41, K40, O34, O55

working papers series