ABSTRACT
The Nigerian patent system has been an area of law given little or no attention. This system is a part of the broad area covered by the intellectual property law. Unlike its counterpart - the copyright - patent has been given little recognition, thus, little or no room for development. This is as a result of the fact that Nigeria has had a few inventions some of which have not been registered since the year 1970 when the Patent and Designs Act was enacted, although it commenced from December, 1971.
In this work, the author shall be looking at the Nigerian patent system, its level of efficiency, the Patent and Designs Act 1970. challenges that it gives rise to for patent applicants, the lacunae that are inherent in the Act as well as the system, and suggestions to abate these challenges.
We shall also be juxtaposing the Nigerian system of patent and those of other nations of the world such as the United States of America, India, etc., so as to be able to see where we are lagging behind and adopt ideas, innovations and methods that will be remedies to the lacunae in our nation's patent system.
