Trademark registration in Nigeria is priced in stages, not as one flat charge. Knowing which fee falls where stops you from being surprised later.
The fee for one class, start to finish
Filing the application costs ₦16,750. That fee is paid upfront, when you submit.
A second charge only comes later. Once your mark is accepted, published in the Trade Marks Journal, and survives its opposition window, the certificate itself costs ₦11,750. Together, one class from filing to certificate costs both fees added up.
The optional availability search fee
Before filing, most applicants search the register to see if a similar mark already exists. That search costs ₦2,500 per class.
It is not compulsory, but it is cheap next to the application fee. A clash found before you file saves the larger fee from being spent on an application likely to be refused.
Why fees multiply by class
Nigeria's register runs 45 classes (1 to 34 for goods, 35 to 45 for services), and a trademark application only protects the class or classes it names. A business selling a product and offering a related service typically needs two applications, each with its own search, application, and certificate fees.
Skipping a class to save money is a common shortcut that leaves part of the business unprotected. Our guide to trademark classes explains how to work out which ones actually apply to you.
Agent fees are separate from registry fees
Every figure above is a registry charge, paid to the Trademarks Registry itself. A trademark agent who prepares or files on your behalf charges their own professional fee, on top of these.
That is normal and not a hidden cost, as long as the quote you receive separates the two. A quote that will not break down agent fees from registry fees is harder to compare against another.
Budgeting for more than one class
If your brand covers several product lines or a mix of goods and services, cost your registration class by class rather than as a single figure. Multiply the application and certificate fees by the number of classes you genuinely need, and add one search fee per class if you plan to search first.
Once you know your total, checking availability first and then filing the application follow the same class-by-class logic.
Common mistakes
- Quoting only the application fee. The certificate fee comes later and is easy to forget when budgeting upfront.
- Registering one class to save money, when the business needs two. Gaps in class coverage are where competitors have room to use a similar mark.
- Mixing up registry fees and agent fees in a single number. Ask for both figures on any quote before comparing services.
- Forgetting the renewal fee down the line. A trademark is not a one-off cost. See how to renew a trademark for what that adds later.
For the government fees behind other filings a small business handles, the government fees tool keeps them in one place. The rest of this series sits on the SME regulators hub.