Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By using Find A Biz Africa, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you don't agree, please don't use our service. These terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Find A Biz Africa.

2. Service Description

Find A Biz Africa is a business directory platform that connects Nigerian businesses with customers. We provide:

• Business listing and discovery services
• Blockchain-verified business identities (Universal Business ID)
• Search functionality by location, category, and keywords
• Business profile pages and contact facilitation
• Analytics and insights for business owners
• Market research and trend analysis (anonymized)

3. Universal Business ID and Blockchain Verification

When you register, we assign your business a Universal Business ID (UBI) recorded on the Solana blockchain for fraud prevention purposes. By creating an account:

• You understand your UBI will be recorded on a public blockchain
• You acknowledge this record is permanent and immutable
• You agree this is necessary to protect the business ecosystem from fraud
• You understand only your UBI (not your business details) is on-chain

For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

4. User Accounts and Eligibility

Business Owners:

• You must be at least 18 years old or have parental consent
• You must provide accurate business information
• You must own or have legal authority to list the business
• One account per business entity
• You are responsible for keeping your information updated
• You must maintain the security of your account credentials

General Users:

• You may browse and search without creating an account
• You must use the service for lawful purposes only
• You must respect the privacy and rights of other users

5. Prohibited Uses

You may not:

• List fake, non-existent, or fraudulent businesses
• Impersonate other businesses or individuals
• Post illegal services, content, or misleading information
• Spam, harass, or abuse other users
• Scrape, copy, or systematically extract our data
• Attempt to hack, disrupt, or compromise our service
• Use automated tools to create multiple accounts
• Violate any applicable local, national, or international laws
• Falsely claim to work with, represent, or be affiliated with Find A Biz Africa
• Make unauthorized statements about partnerships or business relationships with us
• Attempt to manipulate or forge blockchain verification records

6. Content Guidelines

Business listings must:

• Be accurate, truthful, and up-to-date
• Not contain offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content
• Comply with Nigerian laws and regulations
• Respect intellectual property rights
• Use appropriate, professional language
• Include only information about legitimate business activities

User-generated content:

• Must be your own original content or properly licensed
• Cannot infringe on third-party rights
• Should be relevant to the business or service

7. Representation and Authority

8. Data Usage and Analytics

By using our service, you acknowledge that:

• We collect and analyze usage data to improve our platform
• We may create anonymized market reports and business insights
• Anonymized, aggregated data may be used for research or commercial purposes
• Individual businesses and users cannot be identified from anonymized data
• You retain ownership of your business data and content
• Your Universal Business ID is recorded on blockchain for fraud prevention

9. Our Rights and Responsibilities

We reserve the right to:

• Remove or modify listings that violate these terms
• Suspend or terminate accounts for violations
• Change, discontinue, or add features to our service
• Update these terms with reasonable notice
• Investigate suspected violations and cooperate with law enforcement
• Set limits on usage to ensure fair access for all users

We strive to:

• Maintain reliable service availability
• Protect user data and privacy
• Provide fair and equal access to our platform
• Respond to user inquiries and support requests
• Ensure integrity of blockchain verification system

10. Intellectual Property

The Find A Biz Africa platform, including its design, features, blockchain verification system, and underlying technology, is protected by intellectual property rights. You may not copy, modify, or create derivative works without our written permission.

You retain ownership of your business content but grant us a license to display and use it for the purpose of providing our services.

11. Limitation of Liability

Find A Biz Africa is provided "as is" without warranties. We are not responsible for:

• Accuracy or completeness of business information
• Quality of services provided by listed businesses
• Transactions, disputes, or agreements between users and businesses
• Loss of data, business opportunities, or profits
• Service interruptions or technical issues
• Actions taken by third parties based on platform information
• Blockchain network performance or availability

Our total liability for any claims arising from your use of the service shall not exceed the amount you have paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Find A Biz Africa from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of the service or violation of these terms
• Content you post or submit to the platform
• Your business activities or customer interactions
• Infringement of third-party rights
• False claims about relationships with Find A Biz Africa

13. Termination

Either party may terminate this agreement at any time. Upon termination:

• Your access to the service will be discontinued
• Your business listing may be removed
• Your Universal Business ID will remain on blockchain (immutable for fraud prevention)
• Certain provisions of these terms will survive termination
• You may request deletion of your personal data subject to legal requirements

14. Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of the service shall be resolved through:

1. Direct communication with our support team
2. Mediation, if necessary
3. Nigerian courts, if mediation fails

15. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any legal proceedings shall be conducted in Nigerian courts.

16. Changes to Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through:

• Email notification to registered users
• Prominent notice on our website
• Updated "Last updated" date on this page

Continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

17. Contact Information

For questions about these terms or to report violations:

• Email: support@findabizafrica.com
• Data Protection Officer: dpo@findabizafrica.com
• Legal inquiries: legal@findabizafrica.com
• Response time: 5-7 business days