Nigeria

Firm overview

G. Elias is one of Nigeria’s leading business law firms. We have been in business since 1994. We are known for the originality of our thinking, the thoroughness of the content of our work, our speed of response and our integrity and resolve to executing our client’s work to the highest standards. The quality of our work is recognized in all the leading international directories of lawyers. Our paramount aim in our IP practice as in all our other practices has always been to offer our clients, services of very highest quality. That means that we emphasize technical proficiency, attention to detail and creativity in developing practical solutions to clients' problems. We are known for our sensitivity to clients' business needs and concerns and promptness in responding to and executing their requests. We have expertise and experience, and we welcome enquiries and instructions.

We have invested in the technology, facilities and support personnel that we need to excel at what we do. We have unusual breadth in the range of our work. We are organized into sixteen practice groups and twenty-five subsectors. We have been consistently highly ranked in global directories of lawyers vis a vis , Chambers Global, World Trademark Review, The IP stars amongst others. Our IP practice has consistently been highly rated. We are unusual among law firms in that we have the ISO 9001:2008 certification and are currently transitioning to ISO 9001:2015 certification. In the field of intellectual property ("IP"), infringement prosecution, defense, and enforcement of trademarks including online enforcement, patents, utility models and design models as well as preparing and concluding licence agreements, G. Elias & Co. is your go-to firm.

Our Intellectual Property practice is central to our vibrant New Economy practice. (By "New Economy" we mean telecommunications, technology, media and entertainment--subsectors that today contribute 15% of Nigeria’s gross domestic product.) We work with patents in the telecommunications and technology subsectors; on copyright in the media and entertainment subsectors and on trademarks across all New Economy subsectors.

We represent writers, actors, directors, producers, production companies, media companies, distributors, sales agents, authors, musicians, composers, management companies and journalists across media platforms. Our work cuts across the film, music, television, theatre, print and publishing, radio, gaming and other areas of established and emerging media. We have industry experience in drafting, negotiating, recording talent and executive employment agreements and advising creative media and entertainment and new media companies.

Our experience in providing legal and business solutions to technology companies extends to licensing, advising on data privacy, protection and registration with relevant regulatory bodies and to structuring and providing comprehensive legal services to protect and advance our clients position in transactions.

Financial Services
Food manufacturing
Commodities
Food and Beverage
Fast moving consumer goods
Automobile
Medical Technology
Information Technology
Media and Entertainment
Agricultural services
Health and Pharmaceuticals
Cosmetics and Fashion
Sports
Education
Transport
Electrical and Electronics
Hotel and Hospitality

Firm overview

PUNUKA is a member of Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW), a global network of over 100 independent law firms located in more than 180 major commercial centers around the world. The state of reciprocity is such that we are able to extend to our clients the benefits of our accumulated goodwill to assist them whenever their cross border transactions touch on those jurisdictions where our correspondents and member firms operate.

We are members of the Capital Market Solicitors Association (CMSA) which our Senior Partner is the founding Chairman. The Firm is also a member of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria. We maintain affiliations to a network of international firms and experts in related fields of law whose services will be readily available where necessary for accomplishment of assigned tasks. In particular, members of the Firm are members of INSOL, the International voice of business restructuring and insolvency practice and IAEL, the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers amongst others.

Firm overview

At B&I, the Intellectual Property and Technology (IPTG) team works closely with clients to attain adequate and effective protection for their brands, intangible assets, concepts, business operating plans and information. Our expertise includes protection of client’s copyright, trademarks, patents and designs; product registration and regulatory compliance, anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy; information technology law, advertising law, media law, entertainment law and IP-focused Legal Advisory services.

We take pride in quickly and efficiently turning over work of the highest standard by leveraging on the disposition of our lawyers to be creative, innovative and analytical. We are respected for our well-rounded understanding and appreciation of the depth and breadth of Intellectual Property law matters. In addition, we appreciate the fine details of IP in practice, as applicable to our client’s respective industries. This enables us provide legal advice to our clients that is legally sound, practical and commercially expedient.

Several lawyers at the firm are active members of the International Trademark Association (INTA), the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property(AIPPI), Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group (PTMG) and the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys. In addition, the firm has a strong network of firms it currently collaborates with, providing services to numerous other Firms/ Agents all over the world, and in turn providing services to its vast number of clients in most African countries (e.g. Ghana, OAPI, ARIPO and others) through tested associates in those jurisdictions. Our active membership ensures we stay abreast of global best practices and developments in IP.

We have advised and worked on about 850 cases involving IP litigation, patent, trademark applications and renewals, oppositions, assignment, trademark infringement and copyright infringement within the last 12 months. In the realm of IP litigation, our engagement has involved dispute resolution centered on trade secret claims, false advertising, trademark infringement and intellectual property transfers.

We are equipped with FILEYE, a robust intellectual property management software, designed to our specification and needs. The software is networked across our department and two office locations and generates reminders at pre-set dates of all matters requiring action, among its many functionalities. This is made possible due to our highly effective internet system which enables us keep in touch with our clients and provide them with updates in real time.

Our team of 14 members made up of 3 partners, 1 Senior Associate, 6 Associates and 5 Paralegals boasts an aggregate experience of several decades in the IP sector.

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 and 2022 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.