Terms of Service

By accessing or using ConnectMarket Africa (the "Platform"), operated by ConnectMarket Technologies Ltd. ("we", "us", or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Platform.

These Terms apply to all users of the Platform, including buyers, sellers, and visitors. By creating an account, posting a listing, or making a purchase, you represent that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and ConnectMarket Technologies Ltd. under Nigerian law.

To use ConnectMarket Africa, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts in your jurisdiction
• Not be prohibited from using our services under any applicable law
• Not have had a previous account permanently banned from our platform
• Provide accurate, complete, and current registration information

By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you meet all of the above eligibility requirements.

3.1 One account per person

Each person may create only one account on ConnectMarket Africa. Creating multiple accounts is strictly prohibited and will result in permanent suspension of all associated accounts. We use phone number hashing and identity document hashing to detect duplicate registrations.

3.2 Account security

You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials. Do not share your password with anyone. You must immediately notify us at legal@connectmarket.africa if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.

3.3 Accurate information

You must provide accurate, truthful, and complete information when creating your account and keep it updated. Providing false information — including fake names, false locations, or fraudulent identity documents — will result in immediate and permanent account suspension.

3.4 Account statuses

Accounts may be in one of several states: Active (verified and in good standing), Pending Verification (awaiting ID review), Suspended (temporarily restricted pending investigation), or Banned (permanently prohibited from the platform). We reserve the right to change your account status at any time for violations of these Terms.

ConnectMarket Africa requires sellers to verify their identity before listing any product or service. This is a core part of our commitment to a safe marketplace.

Verification requires submitting a government-issued ID document and a live selfie photograph. We support: National Identification Number (NIN), International Passport, Driver's License, Voter's Card (Nigeria), Ghana Card, and equivalent national IDs from all African countries.

By submitting verification documents, you confirm that:

• The documents are genuine and unaltered
• The documents belong to you
• You consent to our team reviewing your documents to confirm your identity
• You understand that submitting fraudulent documents is a criminal offence under Nigerian law

We reserve the right to reject any verification submission without explanation. Approval of verification does not constitute any endorsement of your character or business.

5.1 Sellers

• Must be identity-verified before posting any listing
• Must accurately describe all products and services
• Must price listings honestly and not engage in price manipulation
• Must communicate with buyers promptly and professionally
• Must fulfil orders as agreed — including price, delivery time, and specification
• Must not attempt to transact outside of ConnectMarket to avoid platform fees
• Must not maintain listings for products or services they cannot actually deliver

5.2 Buyers

• Must provide accurate delivery information
• Must pay through the ConnectMarket platform — not directly to sellers outside the platform
• Must confirm or dispute delivery within 7 days (after which escrow auto-releases)
• Must not file false dispute claims or attempt to obtain refunds fraudulently
• Must communicate with sellers respectfully and professionally

5.3 All users

• Must keep all negotiations and transactions within the ConnectMarket platform
• Must not share phone numbers, bank account details, WhatsApp contacts, or external payment information in chat
• Must not solicit or accept payment outside the platform
• Must treat all other users with respect

The following are strictly prohibited on ConnectMarket Africa. Violations will result in immediate account suspension or permanent ban:

6.1 Prohibited products and services

• Illegal firearms, ammunition, or explosives
• Controlled substances or illegal drugs
• Counterfeit, pirated, or stolen goods
• Endangered animal species or their parts
• Child sexual abuse material or any content sexualising minors
• Human trafficking or services facilitating exploitation
• Hacking tools, malware, or services facilitating cybercrime
• Unregistered financial services or unlicensed investment schemes
• Fake academic certificates or degrees
• Any product or service illegal under Nigerian law or the laws of the user's country

6.2 Prohibited conduct

• Creating multiple accounts or fake accounts
• Submitting fraudulent identity documents
• Impersonating another person or business
• Manipulating reviews (buying reviews, posting fake reviews)
• Harassment, threats, or abusive communication
• Sharing contact details or soliciting off-platform transactions in chat
• Attempting to circumvent our security, fraud detection, or moderation systems
• Scraping, data mining, or using automated bots on the platform
• Posting misleading, false, or deceptive listings
• Using the platform for any activity that violates applicable law

7.1 Escrow system

All payments on ConnectMarket Africa go through our escrow system. When a buyer pays, funds are held by ConnectMarket and not released to the seller until:

• The buyer confirms delivery as satisfactory, OR
• 72 hours pass after the seller marks the order as delivered without a buyer dispute, OR
• ConnectMarket resolves a dispute in the seller's favour

7.2 Refunds

Buyers are entitled to a full refund if:

• The seller fails to fulfil the order within the agreed timeframe
• The item or service is materially different from what was advertised
• ConnectMarket resolves a dispute in the buyer's favour

7.3 Off-platform payments

Soliciting or accepting payment outside of ConnectMarket is a serious violation of these Terms and will result in permanent account suspension. ConnectMarket cannot protect buyers or sellers for transactions that occur outside our platform.

7.4 Currency and exchange rates

Prices are listed in the seller's chosen currency. Currency conversion for cross-border transactions is handled at the prevailing market rate at the time of transaction, plus a 1% conversion spread retained by ConnectMarket.

ConnectMarket Africa charges the following fees:

We reserve the right to change our fee structure with 30 days' notice. Changes will not affect orders already placed.

9.1 Between users

When a buyer and seller cannot resolve an issue directly, either party may open a formal dispute through the ConnectMarket Resolution Centre within 7 days of the delivery date. Both parties will have 48 hours to submit evidence. ConnectMarket's team will review submissions and make a binding decision within 72 hours.

9.2 ConnectMarket's decision

ConnectMarket's dispute resolution decision is final and binding. Escrow will be released according to that decision. Our team's decision does not constitute a legal ruling and does not prevent parties from pursuing independent legal remedies.

9.3 Against ConnectMarket

Any dispute between you and ConnectMarket will first be subject to good-faith negotiation. Contact us at legal@connectmarket.africa. If not resolved within 30 days, disputes shall be submitted to arbitration under the Lagos Court of Arbitration Rules, with the seat of arbitration in Lagos, Nigeria, and proceedings conducted in English.

9.4 Class action waiver

You waive any right to bring claims against ConnectMarket as a plaintiff or class member in any class action or representative proceeding.

All content created by ConnectMarket Africa — including our name, logo, design system, software, and original text — is owned by ConnectMarket Technologies Ltd. and protected by copyright and trademark laws.

When you post content on ConnectMarket (listings, photos, reviews, shop descriptions), you grant ConnectMarket a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to display, distribute, and promote that content on our platform and in our marketing materials. You retain full ownership of your content.

You must not post content that infringes the intellectual property rights of any third party. We will respond to valid DMCA/copyright takedown notices sent to legal@connectmarket.africa.

Your use of ConnectMarket Africa is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Platform, you consent to our collection and use of your data as described in the Privacy Policy.

To the maximum extent permitted by Nigerian law:

• ConnectMarket Africa is a marketplace platform — we do not manufacture, sell, inspect, or guarantee any product or service listed by sellers. Sellers are independent third parties.
• We are not liable for the quality, safety, legality, or accuracy of any listing on the platform.
• We are not liable for any loss, injury, or damage arising from your interaction with other users, whether online or offline.
• Our total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the platform shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to ConnectMarket in the 12 months preceding the claim.
• We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.
• We do not guarantee continuous, uninterrupted access to the platform.

Nothing in these Terms limits our liability for death, personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any liability that cannot be excluded by law.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless ConnectMarket Technologies Ltd., its directors, officers, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Content you post on the platform
• Your interactions with other users
• Your violation of any applicable law or third-party rights
• Any dispute between you and another user

14.1 By you

You may close your account at any time from Settings → Privacy → Danger Zone. We will process account deletion within 30 days. Outstanding orders, disputes, or escrow balances must be resolved before deletion.

14.2 By us

We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate your account, with or without notice, if you:

• Violate these Terms or our Community Guidelines
• Engage in fraudulent, deceptive, or illegal activity
• Create multiple accounts or submit fake identity documents
• Harass, threaten, or abuse other users or our staff
• Attempt to manipulate our systems or circumvent our policies
• Pose a risk to the safety of our platform or other users

14.3 Effect of termination

On termination, your access to the platform ends immediately. Outstanding escrow balances will be processed according to our standard policies. Clauses that by their nature survive termination will continue to apply.

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Federal High Court of Nigeria shall have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising from these Terms.

For users outside Nigeria, local consumer protection laws may also apply and are not excluded by these Terms.

We may modify these Terms at any time. We will provide notice of material changes by:

• Posting the updated Terms on this page with a new "Last updated" date
• Sending an email notification to your registered address
• Displaying an in-app notification

Changes take effect 14 days after notice, except for changes required by law which take effect immediately. Continued use of the platform after changes constitute acceptance.

For questions about these Terms of Service: