Introduction

For a country of Nigeria’s size with creativity and innovation in every corner, the country’s present poor patent portfolio is unhealthy for both national advancement and global competitiveness. One of the major reasons for this is information gap. Access to relevant information about Nigeria’s patent system is not open enough.

By opening up access to information about patents, we can spur a refreshing interest in patenting inventions in Nigeria. With emerging technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality (AVR), autonomous vehicles, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) etc., Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind. Access to information about the patent process must be easy and free. The patent system in Nigeria also needs to gradually catch up with the needs of today’s digital economy. With these, both local and international inventors will gradually see why they need to protect their inventions in an emerging market such as Nigeria.

This is where making basic information about patents in Nigeria available to the members of the public comes in.

We introduce FAQs on Patent in Nigeria, one of the publications under the FAQs on Intellectual Property Series. FAQs on Intellectual Property Series is an Intellectual Property (IP) awareness and enlightenment initiative of Infusion Lawyers, introduced by the law firm’s IP & Technology Advocacy & Policy Practice Group.

As a law firm with specialization in intellectual property and technology, we often receive questions, from time to time, about patents and how to get a grant of patent in Nigeria. So we have decided to make public our FAQs on Patent in Nigeria. This, we believe, will give inventors and agents free and open access to relevant information about patenting their inventions in Nigeria.

Hopefully, this initiative will gradually boost Nigeria’s patent portfolio. We hope that it challenges our lawmakers and policymakers to continually improve Nigeria’s patent system. This will make the country more attractive to inventors locally and internationally. Investors will also be happier.

Who should use FAQs on Patent in Nigeria?

• Inventors
• IP students & teachers
• Paralegals assisting with patent applications
• Patent Agents
• Patent Attorneys
• General members of the public with interest in patents and intellectual property

To access FAQs on Patent in Nigeria which comes with a link to a 2-minute online Patent Request Form, click link.