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The short answer
You file a separate application with the Trade Marks Registry of the Registrar-General's Department under the Trade Marks Act, 2004 (Act 664), on Trade Mark Form No. 2, one class per application, and foreign applicants file through a legal entity authorised to operate in Ghana. The application is published for two months for opposition and, once registered, protects the mark for ten years from the application date, renewable for further ten-year periods.
Is my Nigerian registration enough?
Trademark rights are national. A registration at Nigeria's trademarks registry gives you rights in Nigeria. The Ghanaian sources we read give no basis for treating it as protecting your brand in Ghana, and the only well-known mark rule in the guide we relied on protects marks of Ghanaian enterprises: the Registrar refuses a mark identical or confusingly similar to a well-known mark or trade name of a Ghanaian enterprise. If you sell, or plan to sell, in Ghana, file there.
The law and the office
Legalstone Solicitors' guide (Mondaq, 27 January 2025) says registration is governed by the Trade Marks Act, 2004 (Act 664), supplemented by the Trade Marks Regulations, 1970 (L.I. 667) as amended by L.I. 1707, with fees under the Fees and Charges Act, 2022 (Act 1080). Applications go to the Trade Marks Registry of the Registrar-General's Department. Check the current office and filing route before you file.
What the application needs
- Trade Mark Form No. 2.
- Four representations of the mark.
- A list of the goods or services, using the International Classification.
- One class per application: L.I. 667 says each application is for goods in one class only. Legalstone adds that each additional class needs two more representations.
- The application fee, paid before the application proceeds.
- A translation of any non-English words in the mark; for a Nigerian brand, that includes Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa or Pidgin words.
- Written consent if the mark uses a person's name or likeness.
Foreign applicants must apply through a legal entity authorised to operate in Ghana, according to the guide. In practice a Nigerian brand owner either uses a Ghanaian law firm or trademark agent, or applies through its Ghana company. If you are setting up there anyway, see a Ghana subsidiary of a Nigerian company or registering a branch; AELEX notes a foreign company can incorporate under Act 992 or register as an external company.
The steps
- Search (optional but advisable) at the Registry for identical or similar marks.
- File Form No. 2 with representations, goods or services, and fee. The Registrar may ask for replacement representations if they are unsatisfactory.
- Publication in the Industrial Trade Marks Bulletin (Journal) for two months.
- Opposition: any interested party may file a notice of opposition within the two-month period.
- Registration: if unopposed, or if opposition is decided in your favour, the mark is registered, a reference is published, and a certificate issued.
The guide gives no overall timeline. Plan for months rather than weeks, given the two-month publication period alone.
Costs reported
| Item | Amount stated (Legalstone, Jan 2025) |
|---|---|
| Name search (optional) | US$135 |
| Application fee | $240 |
| Trade mark certification | $240 |
These are a law firm's figures as at January 2025; the guide does not say whether they include professional fees, and the two $240 items have no currency stated. Official fees are set under Act 1080 and can change, so ask for a current quote. Example, for illustration only: a Nigerian food brand filing in two classes, say sauces and restaurant services, files two applications, so on the figures above it would budget for two application fees and two certification fees, plus the optional search: US$135 plus four items of $240, or $1,095 before professional fees, if all are in US dollars.
Choosing what to file
Decide the form of the mark before you file, because each application covers one representation of it. A word mark in plain letters is usually the broadest protection for a brand name; a logo protects that design. Many brands file both, which on a one-class-per-application rule multiplies the filings. Pick the classes you actually use or will use soon in Ghana, rather than copying every class from a Nigerian filing.
After registration
Registration lasts ten years from the date of application and is renewable for further ten-year periods. Diary the renewal well ahead. Watch the Bulletin for marks that are similar to yours: the opposition window is short, and opposing an application is easier than cancelling a registration later.
Where Pryme fits
Fees to a Ghanaian agent are often paid from Nigeria. A Pryme Business Account holds naira, dollars, pounds and euros with account details for each, and Send shows the rate and the fee before you approve. For the company itself, see registering a company in Ghana.
Questions people ask
Is my Nigerian trademark protected in Ghana?
Trademark rights are national, and the Ghanaian sources we read give no basis for relying on a Nigerian registration in Ghana. File a Ghanaian application.
How long does a Ghana trademark last?
Ten years from the date of application, renewable for further ten-year periods, according to Legalstone Solicitors (January 2025).
Can a foreigner register a trademark in Ghana?
Yes, but foreign applicants must apply through a legal entity authorised to operate in Ghana, according to the same guide.
How much does it cost to register a trademark in Ghana?
Legalstone listed US$135 for a search and $240 each for application and certification as at January 2025. Ask for a current quote.
Sources
- Mondaq (Legalstone Solicitors): Trade mark registration in Ghana, requirements, timeline and costs (27 Jan 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Mondaq (AELEX): why Ghana is set to become West Africa's most inviting market for non-trading investors (8 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.