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Patent Registration Agent in Nigeria
Lifehampers helps inventors and companies register patents in Nigeria, from prior-art search and application drafting to grant and annual renewals, so your invention is protected for up to 20 years.
How Patents Work in Nigeria
A patent gives you the exclusive right to make, use and sell a new invention, either a product or a process, in Nigeria. Patents are governed by the Patents and Designs Act and handled by the Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. An invention can be patented if it is new, results from inventive activity and is capable of industrial application. Three things decide how strong your patent is:
Search First
Searching for similar existing patents before you file avoids wasted fees and helps shape claims that will hold up if your patent is ever challenged.
Clear Specification and Claims
Your application describes the invention, with drawings where needed, and its claims define exactly what is protected. Vague claims are the most common weakness in a patent.
Formal Examination
Nigeria examines patent applications for formal requirements rather than full novelty, so a granted patent can still be challenged in court. That makes careful drafting even more important.
20 Years of Protection
A patent lasts 20 years from the filing date, provided annual fees are paid on time. Miss a payment and the patent lapses.
How We Help
We run the search, prepare and file your application with its specification, claims and drawings, respond to the Registry, and track your annual renewals.
Questions people often ask
Straight answers to the questions we hear most often.
What can be patented in Nigeria?
A new product or process that results from inventive activity and can be made or used in industry. Scientific discoveries and principles, plant or animal varieties, and inventions contrary to public order or morality cannot be patented.
Can I patent an app or software?
Not usually on its own, because software is generally protected by copyright. A patent may be possible only where software is part of a genuinely new technical invention. See can you patent an app idea in Nigeria?
How long does patent protection last?
20 years from the filing date, provided the annual fees are paid to keep it in force.
Should I keep my invention secret before filing?
Yes. Publicly disclosing or selling your invention before filing can destroy its novelty, so file first and talk about it afterwards.
Do I need a patent and a trademark?
Often both. A patent protects how your product works or is made, while a trademark protects the brand you sell it under. See our trademark registration service.
Ready to Protect Your Invention?
Lifehampers Global Consults handles patent registration alongside copyright, trademarks, CAC registration and other compliance needs.