CAR TRADER NG LIMITED ("CarTraderNG", "we") respects your privacy and complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDPA) and the implementing regulations issued by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC). This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and the rights you have over it.
1. Data we collect
- Account data: name, email, phone number, password hash.
- Listing data: vehicle photographs, VIN, registration number, mileage, price, location.
- Verification data: images of ownership documents (Customs papers, Vehicle Licence, Proof of Ownership) and the data we extract from them via OCR.
- Usage data: IP address, device type, browser, pages visited, search queries, and security events.
- Communications: messages you exchange with other users through the Platform and with our support team.
2. Lawful basis
We process personal data on the following NDPA lawful bases:
- Contract — to provide the marketplace you signed up for.
- Legitimate interest — fraud prevention, AI verification, platform security, and analytics.
- Consent — marketing emails and optional cookies; you can withdraw consent at any time.
- Legal obligation — responding to court orders or regulatory requests.
3. How we use your data
- Create and secure your account.
- Publish vehicle listings and surface them to relevant buyers.
- Run AI checks on photographs and documents you upload.
- Prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access (including automated monitoring of permission changes and suspicious sign-in attempts).
- Send you transactional emails (sign-up confirmation, listing updates) and, with your consent, marketing.
- Comply with Nigerian law and respond to lawful requests from authorities.
4. Sharing
We share personal data only with:
- Processors who help us run the Platform — cloud hosting, payments, email, and AI providers — under written data-processing agreements.
- Other users — your name, profile photo, listing details, and contact handles you choose to publish.
- Authorities — when required by Nigerian law (FRSC, EFCC, NPF, FIRS, court orders).
We never sell your personal data. Ownership documents you upload are private by default — they are only accessible to you, our verification system, and platform admins; other users never see them.
5. Cross-border transfers
Some of our infrastructure providers are based outside Nigeria. When we transfer personal data abroad we rely on adequacy decisions, the data-recipient's NDPA whitelist status, or standard contractual clauses that provide equivalent protection.
6. Retention
- Active account data — for as long as your account is open, plus 90 days.
- Listing data — for 12 months after the listing is closed.
- Verification documents — for 24 months, then deleted.
- Security and audit logs — for 24 months.
- Financial records — for 7 years, as required by FIRS.
7. Security
- All data in transit is protected with TLS 1.2+.
- Passwords are hashed; sensitive fields (VIN, phone numbers, documents) are restricted to authenticated users or admins.
- We run continuous monitoring on database permission changes and brute-force sign-in attempts.
- Access to production systems is role-based, logged, and reviewed.
8. Your rights under the NDPA
You have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you.
- Rectify inaccurate data.
- Erase your account and associated data (subject to legal retention).
- Restrict or object to certain processing.
- Receive your data in a portable format.
- Withdraw consent at any time.
- Lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission.
To exercise these rights, email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@cartraderng.com. We respond within 30 days.
9. Cookies
We use strictly-necessary cookies to keep you signed in and to remember your preferences. Optional analytics cookies only load after you consent via our cookie banner.
10. Children
CarTraderNG is not intended for children under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If you believe a minor has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.
11. Changes
We post material changes to this policy on the Platform and, where appropriate, email account holders at least seven (7) days before they take effect.
12. Contact
Data Protection Officer · dpo@cartraderng.com
CAR TRADER NG LIMITED · Lagos, Nigeria