Privacy Policy

Last updated 29 Aug 2026

Data we collect

We collect the following categories of information when you use Tamale Marketplace:

- Account data: your full name, phone number, email (if provided), and a securely hashed password.
- Seller and storefront data: business or storefront name, description, logo and cover photos, location, and public contact details you choose to display (phone, WhatsApp).
- Listing content: titles, descriptions, prices, categories, and photos you upload for products or services.
- Verification documents: for sellers who request a verified badge, a scanned/photographed Ghana Card, business certificate (where applicable), digital address, and the owner's name as stated on those documents.
- Communications: messages and inquiries exchanged between buyers and sellers through the platform.
- Payment references: Mobile Money transaction references and payment screenshots submitted for ad bookings, promotions, or verification fees. We do not collect or store your Mobile Money PIN, card numbers, or other payment credentials.
- Usage and device data: pages viewed, searches performed, listings favorited, and basic technical data such as browser type and IP address.

Categories of data collected

For clarity, the data above falls into these categories:

- Identity data (name, phone number, ID document details)
- Contact data (phone, WhatsApp, email)
- Business data (storefront name, business certificate, digital address)
- Financial reference data (Mobile Money transaction references and proof screenshots — not full payment credentials)
- Content data (listing photos, descriptions, messages you send)
- Technical and usage data (device, browser, IP address, pages visited, cookies)

How we use the data collected

We use your data to:

- Create and manage your account and storefront
- Verify a seller's identity when they request a verified badge
- Enable communication between buyers and sellers
- Process ad bookings, listing promotions, and verification fee payments by reviewing the Mobile Money reference and proof you submit
- Rank and display listings, including search results and category browsing
- Send one-time passwords (OTP) for phone verification and password resets
- Maintain the safety and integrity of the platform, including detecting fraud or abuse
- Respond to support requests and communicate important service updates

Data protection principles

We aim to handle your personal data in line with the following principles:

- Lawfulness, fairness and transparency in how data is collected and used
- Purpose limitation — data is collected for specific, stated purposes and not used incompatibly with them
- Data minimisation — we ask only for what is reasonably necessary to provide the service
- Accuracy — we take reasonable steps to keep account and listing data accurate and up to date
- Storage limitation — data is kept only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy
- Integrity and confidentiality — data is protected using reasonable technical and organisational measures, including password hashing and restricted admin access

These principles are applied consistent with Ghana's Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), and other applicable data protection laws.

The purpose for which we process your data

We process personal data on the following legal bases:

- Performance of a contract — to provide the account, storefront, listing, messaging, and payment-review features you sign up for
- Legitimate interests — to keep the platform safe, prevent fraud and abuse, and improve how listings are ranked and displayed
- Legal obligation — to respond to lawful requests from courts, regulators, or law enforcement
- Consent — where you specifically opt in, for example to receive promotional messages

Our use of cookies

We use session cookies to keep you logged in and to remember basic preferences such as your selected seasonal theme. These cookies are necessary for the platform to function and are not used for third-party advertising or cross-site tracking. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings, but disabling essential cookies may prevent you from logging in or using certain features of the platform.

Our data sharing policy

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it in the following limited circumstances:

- With other users, where you choose to make information public — for example, your storefront details, public phone/WhatsApp number, and listings are visible to anyone browsing the platform, and message content is shared with the specific buyer or seller you are corresponding with
- With service providers who help us operate the platform, such as our SMS gateway provider used solely to deliver OTP codes
- With law enforcement, courts, or regulators where we are legally required to do so
- With a successor organisation in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of some or all of our assets, subject to the same protections described in this policy

How we deal with a data breach

We maintain reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect the data we hold. If we become aware of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights or interests, we will: investigate the incident promptly; take steps to contain it and prevent further unauthorised access; assess the personal data affected; and notify affected users and, where required by law, the Data Protection Commission of Ghana, without undue delay and with information on what happened and what steps you can take to protect yourself.

Limitation of liability

The platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We do not guarantee that the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or completely secure. Transactions for goods and services are made directly between buyers and sellers; we are not a party to those transactions and are not responsible for the quality, safety, legality, or delivery of any item or service listed. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we disclaim liability for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform, and our total liability for any claim is limited to the fees (if any) you paid to us in the twelve months preceding the claim.

Your right to discontinue use or request deletion of your data

You may stop using the platform at any time. You may also request that we close your account and delete your personal data by contacting our support team through the contact details on the platform. We will action your request within a reasonable time, except where we are permitted or required to retain certain data — for example, transaction and payment-reference records needed for accounting, dispute resolution, or legal compliance. Where full deletion is not immediately possible, we will restrict further use of your data to those limited purposes.

Our reserved right to alter this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the platform's features, or legal requirements. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised "last updated" date. Where a change is material, we will take reasonable steps to bring it to your attention, such as a notice on the platform. Your continued use of Tamale Marketplace after a change takes effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.