Privacy Policy
We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This policy explains how Rubies Food collects, uses, and safeguards your information.
1. Who We Are
Rubies Food ("we", "us", "our") operates a digital food marketplace connecting growers, distributors, and buyers across Nigeria. We are the data controller for personal data collected through the Rubies Food platform ("Platform").
We are committed to complying with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) and all applicable privacy laws.
2. Data We Collect
We collect data in three main ways:
| Category | Examples | Collected When |
|---|---|---|
| Account Data | Name, email, phone, password (hashed) | Registration |
| Profile Data | Delivery address, account preferences | Profile setup |
| Transaction Data | Orders, payment references, amounts | Checkout |
| Product Data | Listings, images, prices (sellers only) | Product creation |
| Usage Data | Pages visited, clicks, search queries | Browsing |
| Device Data | IP address, browser type, OS | Automatically |
We do not collect sensitive personal data such as national ID numbers, biometrics, or health data unless legally required.
3. How We Use Your Data
We use your personal data for the following purposes:
- Service Delivery: To create and manage your account, process orders, and facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers.
- Communication: To send order confirmations, support responses, and important service updates.
- Platform Security: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access.
- Improvement: To analyse usage patterns and improve the platform experience.
- Legal Compliance: To meet our obligations under Nigerian law.
- Marketing (with consent): To send promotional communications. You may opt out at any time.
4. Data Sharing
We share your data only in these limited circumstances:
- With Sellers/Buyers: Necessary order details (name, address) are shared between transacting parties to fulfil orders.
- Payment Processors: Payment reference data is shared with our payment gateway partners to process transactions securely.
- Service Providers: We engage trusted third parties for hosting, email, and analytics under strict data processing agreements.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose data when required by law, court order, or Nigerian regulatory authorities.
5. Cookies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and analyse platform performance. The main cookie types we use are:
- Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function (session management, CSRF protection). Cannot be disabled.
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the platform.
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings (language, display preferences).
You can control non-essential cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some platform features.
6. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data, including:
- Encrypted password storage using bcrypt hashing.
- HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data transmission.
- CSRF protection on all form submissions.
- Regular security audits and access controls.
- Restricted database access on a need-to-know basis.
While we take all reasonable precautions, no internet transmission is 100% secure. Please contact us immediately if you believe your account has been compromised.
7. Your Rights
Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention obligations).
- Restriction: Request that we limit how we process your data.
- Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
- Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is consent-based.
To exercise any of these rights, contact our Data Protection Officer at: privacy@rubiesfood.ng
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. Specifically:
- Account data: Retained for the lifetime of the account, plus 2 years after closure.
- Transaction records: Retained for 7 years for tax and audit compliance.
- Usage logs: Retained for 12 months.
9. Children's Privacy
Our platform is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has created an account on our platform, please contact us and we will promptly delete the associated data.
10. Policy Changes
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. When we make significant changes, we will notify you via email or a prominent notice on the platform. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent version.
11. Contact Our DPO
For any privacy-related questions, concerns, or to exercise your data rights, contact our Data Protection Officer:
- Email: privacy@rubiesfood.ng
- Response Time: Within 72 hours
- Postal Address: Data Protection Officer, Rubies Food, Lagos, Nigeria
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) if you believe your rights have been violated.