Privacy Policy

Afrimart, a Nigerian company ("we," "us," or "our") operates the Afrimart Platform — a marketplace facilitating secure, escrow-protected transactions between buyers and verified sellers of African products. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), applicable international standards including GDPR principles for global users, and e-commerce industry-standard data protection practices

This Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal information when you use our Platform, create an account, browse products, make purchases via escrow, or interact with our services.

Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal data:

• Personal & Contact Information — Name, email address, phone number, password, billing and shipping address, and profile details collected when you register, update your profile, manage orders, or interact with your wallet or wishlist.
• Transaction & Payment Data — Order details, escrow payment information (amount, status, timestamps), shipping tracking data, and dispute-related information. We do not store full payment card details. Payments are processed securely by third-party providers such as Flutterwave and Paystack. Escrow services are designed to enhance transaction security but do not constitute a financial guarantee or insurance.
• Usage & Technical Data — IP address, browser type, device information, cookies, analytics data, pages visited, and interaction logs collected via cookies and similar technologies.
• Seller-Specific Data — For verified sellers: business details, identity and business registration documents, bank account information for payouts, and product listings.
• Communication Data — Messages sent via the Platform, support inquiries, and feedback you provide to us.

We collect this data directly from you, automatically through the Platform, or from third-party verification and payment services.

How & Why We Use It

We use the personal information we collect to develop, improve, support, and provide our services — enabling you to use all Platform features while we fulfil and enforce our Terms of Use. Specifically, we process your data to:

• Create and manage your account, process orders, and facilitate escrow-secured transactions — holding funds until buyer satisfaction and releasing them to sellers.
• We implement verification processes and escrow mechanisms designed to reduce fraud and improve transaction security.
• Communicate with you about orders, payments, delivery, disputes, platform updates, and support requests.
• Improve the Platform, personalise your experience, and analyse usage trends.
• Prevent fraud, ensure platform security, and comply with legal requirements including anti-money-laundering and tax obligations.
• Enforce our Terms of Service and resolve disputes between buyers and sellers.
• Send marketing communications where you have accepted this,You may opt out of marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe link or your account settings. In accordance with applicable laws — and only to the extent permitted.
• We may also collect device and application data such as device model, operating system, app interactions, and crash diagnostics for performance and security improvements.

Sharing Your Information

We share personal data only as strictly necessary:

• Verified sellers receive limited order and shipping details solely to fulfil your transaction.
• Payment, escrow, and shipping partners receive the data required to process transactions and deliveries.
• Service providers (hosting, analytics, email, verification tools) operate under strict data processing agreements.
• Legal authorities if required by law, court order, or to protect rights, safety, or property.
• Business successors in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with appropriate protections in place.

Data Transfers

As an Africa-focused platform serving global buyers, your data may be transferred outside Nigeria or outside your location — for example, to cloud hosting providers or international payment partners. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions, and maintain records of such transfers as required by the NDPA and relevant regulatory bodies.

Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures — including encryption, access controls, and secure servers — to protect your data against unauthorised access, loss, or breach. We also follow the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) in handling payment card information.

However, no system is completely secure. You should use a strong, unique password for your account and report any suspected security issues to us immediately.

Customer Support Activity

Disputes between buyers and sellers are handled through our escrow and support system. Final resolution is subject to our terms and policies.

When you communicate with our customer service team — whether through in-app support, our virtual assistant, social media, or any other means — we collect your communication history with us. This includes any text, images, video, audio, or supporting documents exchanged between you and our team.

This data is used solely to resolve your query, improve our support quality, and maintain a record of agreed resolutions.

Legal Basis

Applicable data protection laws require a legal basis for our use of personal information. Our legal basis varies depending on the specific purpose for which data is used — typically: contract performance, legitimate interests, legal obligations, or consent where required.

We process personal data only for specified, explicit, and legitimate purposes and do not further process it in a manner incompatible with those purposes. We ensure that data collected is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary — without prejudice to your right to privacy.

Data Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, to comply with legal obligations (such as tax or transaction records), or to resolve disputes.

Account data is typically retained while your account is active. Inactive accounts may be deleted after a reasonable period following notification to you.

Your Rights

Under the NDPA and applicable laws, you have the following data subject rights. To exercise any of them, contact us using the details below — we will respond within 30 days.

Cookies & Tracking

We use essential cookies for site functionality — including login sessions, cart state, and escrow flow — and analytics cookies to understand how the Platform is used. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Children's Privacy

Our Platform is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from users who are under 18, or who are considered minors under applicable national laws.

If we become aware that we have unintentionally collected personal information from a minor, we will comply with applicable laws to delete that information promptly. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we hold data about your child, please contact us immediately using the details below.

Policy Changes

We may update this Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Effective Date" at the top will be revised accordingly. We encourage you to review this page regularly.

Continued use of the Platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

Contact Us

For questions, data requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach us through any of the following: