Nigeria

Firm overview

ǼLEX’ Intellectual Property Practice is recognized as one of the leading IP practices in Nigeria. The firm was recognised by WTR 1000 in its 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024 rankings.

We handle all matters (both of a contentious and non-contentious nature) relating to trademarks, patents, copyright, franchising, licensing, distributorship agreements and technology transfer. We file trademark, patent and design applications in Nigeria and Ghana directly, as well as in OAPI countries through an agent. We also have considerable experience in civil and criminal actions against infringement.
We have a network of firms in other directions with whom we offer bilateral intellectual property portfolio management services.

We provide advisory services to companies across different sectors, including technology, media, liquor, pharmaceutical that are looking to protect their IP. We also offer investigative services to clients whose products are being adulterated and sold locally. In addition, we assist our clients with the registration of their products with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

We manage the portfolio of over 200 companies (and over 1,000,000 marks, designs, copyrights, patents), across Nigeria and Ghana.

Some of our assignments include:

• Advised The Coca-Cola Company on its acquisition of 100% equity in C.H.I Limited, one of Nigeria's leading producers and distributors of dairy and juice products. Amongst other things, this transaction involved the restructuring of IP ownership between both companies and conducting due diligence on about 134 trademarks in Nigeria, Ghana and OAPI.
• Represented Sproxil Inc. in a patent infringement action instituted against it at the Federal High Court. The Plaintiff claims that Sproxil's Mobile Authentication System (“MAS”), in respect of which Sproxil has a registered patent in Nigeria, infringes on the Plaintiff's earlier registered patent.
• Represented Sproxil Inc. in a copyright infringement matter instituted against the company at the Federal High Court. The Plaintiff claims that Sproxil's MAS infringes on its right to the same invention which he claims he has protected as a copyright.
• We maintain the registration of trademarks owned by many multinational companies including Mondelez International Inc., Kraft Heinz Company, Volvo, Abbott Laboratories, BASF SE, Dell Inc., Red Bull, Huawei, Lenovo and Kentucky Fried Chicken. We have continued to handle the trademark portfolio of most of these companies for over 10 years, which is an indication of the expertise of the firm, as well as the quality and depth of our practice.
• Filing notices of opposition on behalf of the International Olympics Committee and several other companies to prevent registration of similar trademarks.
• Assisting an international retail company with obtaining an approval of the renewal of its franchise agreement with its Nigerian subsidiary from the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (“NOTAP”).
• Assisting a leading confectionery company with the review of a management services, trademark licence and product formula licence agreement for compliance with the requirements for registration with the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion.

Financed and contributed to the organization of stakeholders’ workshop for the review of a new draft IP law at the National Assembly.

AELEX provides bono services to startups and accelerators as it assists these companies in registering their intellectual property to ensure that they have adequate protection for their rights.

Headline firm responsible for the drafting of the recently passed Nigeria Startup Act 2022. Provisions bordering on protection of IP and incentives for startups were also introduced in the Act.

Firm overview

Von Seidels is a specialist IP law firm in Africa with a team of over 100 people. We assist clients both locally and internationally in obtaining all forms of IP protection and deals with all IP related commercial activities, including agreements, valuations and litigation.

Our head office is in Cape Town and we have a satellite office in Johannesburg, South Africa. We have offices in ARIPO (Namibia), OAPI (Cameroon) and Nigeria.

Von Seidels Nigeria office is based in the country’s capital and IP centre, Abuja. We partnered with experienced Nigerian IP attorney Okey Onyekanma to establish this office.

Our offices cover the majority of the African continent. South Africa, ARIPO, OAPI and Nigeria combined comprise 70% of Africa’s countries. In the rest of Africa we work with trusted agents. 

With many years of experience working in Africa, we have vast local knowledge and understanding of country-specific legislative requirements and issues across this continent.

Firm overview

Established in 1996, Jackson, Etti & Edu is a full-service law firm headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with an internationally renowned IP practice. With three offices in Nigeria and an office in Accra, Ghana – the hubs of business in West Africa – as well as an enviable network of top-rated associate agents across the continent, we are uniquely positioned to offer superior IP services throughout Africa.

Our IP practice offers services relating to all aspects of intellectual property, including trademarks, patents, designs, copyright, media and entertainment, anti-counterfeiting and brand protection, IP litigation, IP due diligence and commercial intellectual property (e.g, licensing, franchising and distributorship). We offer ancillary services including assisting clients with regulatory registrations with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion and other regulatory agencies. Our IP practice also offers advisory services to the federal government of Nigeria on IP policies and IP law reforms and provides regional perspectives on IP-related matters.

Our services are provided through a complement of experienced and seasoned practitioners who have distinguished themselves in this field for many years and have been recognised as experts and leaders in this specialist area of the law. Our lawyers possess impressive expertise and have been involved in some of the most high-profile IP transactions. They also hold leadership positions in local IP organisations. One of the partners is a World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) consultant and regularly offers advice on myriad IP-related issues.
Our clientele includes a broad spectrum of local and international blue-chip organisations, including major multinationals and conglomerates that trust us with the execution of specific business goals in the territories of interest.

The many awards, recognitions and rankings which our IP practice has received from globally and locally renowned organisations, as well as our frequent engagements by international IP bodies – including WIPO and the International Trademark Association (INTA) – are testimonies of our remarkable achievements in IP practice in Nigeria. We have been rated as a Tier 1 firm for contentious and non-contentious trademark and patent work in Nigeria from 2001 to 2017 by Managing Intellectual Property’s Annual Survey; ranked among the World’s Leading Trademark Professionals 2017; awarded the Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year 2016 at the ESQ/Nigeria Legal Awards; recognised by Global Law Experts (Practice Award, as Full-service IP Law Firm of the Year 2014); named Nigeria Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year at the Corporate Livewire Global Awards (2014-2015); and named Nigerian Trademark Law Firm of The Year 2014 at the Acquisition International Legal Awards. Further, the firm was shortlisted as one of seven firms worldwide for IP Firm of the Year in an Emerging Market by Informa Law.

As one of Africa’s leading IP practices and Nigeria’s largest practice, we have made our mark in contributing to the growth and awareness of intellectual property in Nigeria and several African countries. We have significant experience in raising public awareness on the subject of intellectual property, and have facilitated several public awareness forums organised by WIPO and INTA as well as various government offices, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Commercial Department and the Nigerian Copyright Commission.

Network Memberships: INTA, AIPPI, ITMA

Last updated 28th March 2018

Firm overview

Established in 1996, George Ikoli & Okagbue is a full-service law firm headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with an internationally renowned IP practice. With two offices in Nigeria and an enviable network of top-rated associate agents across the continent, we are uniquely positioned to offer superior IP services throughout Africa.

Our IP practice offers services relating to all aspects of intellectual property, including trademarks, patents, designs, copyright, media and entertainment, anti-counterfeiting and brand protection, IP litigation and IP due diligence. We offer ancillary services including assisting clients with regulatory registrations with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion and other regulatory agencies. Our IP practice also offers advisory services.

Our services are provided through a complement of experienced and seasoned practitioners who have distinguished themselves in this field for many years and have been recognised as experts and leaders in specialist areas of the law. Our lawyers possess impressive expertise and have been involved in some high-profile IP transactions. They also hold leadership positions in local IP organisations.

Our clientele includes a broad spectrum of local and international blue-chip organisations, including major multinationals and conglomerates that trust us with the execution of specific business goals in the territories of interest.

The many awards, recognitions, and rankings which our IP practice has received from globally and locally renowned organisations, as well as our frequent engagements with international IP bodies – including the International Trademark Association (INTA) – are testimonies of our remarkable achievements in IP practice in Nigeria.

As one of Africa’s leading IP practices and Nigeria’s largest IP practice, we have made our mark in contributing to the growth and awareness of intellectual property in Nigeria and several African countries. We have significant experience in raising public awareness on the subject of intellectual property and have facilitated several public awareness forums organised by various government offices, including the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Commercial Department and the Nigerian Copyright Commission.

Key IP Areas

Copyright & related rights, Designs, Intellectual property (contentious), Intellectual property (prosecution), IP transactions, Patent, Trade mark, Trade mark contentious, Trade mark prosecution, Patent contentious, Patent prosecution

Key Sector Expertise

Aerospace, Advertising, Agriculture, Arts, Automotive, Chemical, Computer technology & services, E-commerce, Electrical, Construction & materials, Fashion & luxury goods, Film, Financial services, FMCG, Food & beverage, Hospitality & leisure, ICT & software, Manufacturing, Logistics, Media, Medical device, Music, Not-for-profit, Oil & gas, Pharmaceutical, Optics & photonics, Professional services, Publishing, Real estate, Renewable energy, Retail, Sports, Technology hardware, Telecommunication, Tobacco, Transport, Universities & research, Utilities, Furniture