A Systematic Review of Trademark Rights within the Jurisdictions of Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and South Africa

Abstract

A trademark is essential for enhancing the economic efficiency of the marketplace. This is accomplished by minimizing consumer search costs, thereby facilitating the identification of products and producers within the open market. There has been a scarcity of research focused on the comparative analysis of trademarks within the frameworks of Nigeria (NTMA), South Africa (SATMA), and the United Kingdom (UKTMA). This has led to a notable deficiency in research, particularly concerning intellectual property law in Nigeria. This study seeks to deliver a comprehensive analysis of the current research on trademarks as it relates to intellectual property law, based on a systematic literature review, frequently described as a meta-analysis research methodology. The study has identified three key conclusions. Much of the prior research primarily overlooked the examination of trademark rights in the context of standard operations in other countries and was largely concentrated in Africa. Thirdly, the methodologies and approaches utilized in the majority of studies predominantly featured an exploratory approach rather than a comparative approach within legal research procedures, aimed at establishing innovative concepts in trademark rights administration. The paper concludes by identifying several areas that may require additional research to improve the administration of trademark rights in Nigeria, in line with established practices in other regions of the world.