Privacy Policy · LetsBuildAfrica

1. Who we are

LetsBuildAfrica is a Ghana-based online marketplace. Customers use it to find, book, and pay verified artisans (electricians, masons, plumbers, carpenters, and other construction professionals) for their projects. Artisans and construction companies use it to build a public profile, receive bookings and job leads, and get paid for completed work.

For the purposes of applicable data protection law — including Ghana’s Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) — LetsBuildAfrica is the data controller responsible for the personal data described in this policy.

2. Information we collect

We collect different information depending on how you use the Platform:

Account information (all users)

Full name, email address, and phone number
Password (we only ever store a one-way cryptographic hash of it — we cannot see or recover your actual password)
Account role (customer, artisan, or company)

Profile information

Profile photo, bio, and city/location
For artisans: primary and secondary skills, certifications, years of experience, and daily rate
For companies: company name, logo, specialty, and team size

Identity verification (artisans) — sensitive data

To offer a “verified” badge and reduce fraud, artisans may submit a government-issued ID (such as a Ghana Card or passport), including the ID type, ID number, and a photo of the document itself. We treat this as sensitive personal data and restrict access to it to what is strictly necessary for verification.

Payment information — sensitive data

To pay artisans for completed work, we collect payout details such as a mobile money number (and the associated network) or a bank account number and bank name. We do not store full payment card numbers ourselves — card and mobile money transactions are processed by our licensed payment partner, Hubtel (see Section 5).

Project, booking, and communications data

Project details you submit when booking or posting a job: title, description, budget, location, and timeline
Messages you send to other users through our in-app chat
Reviews and ratings you leave or receive

Technical information

Our servers may automatically log basic technical information — such as IP address, browser type, and request timestamps — for security, fraud prevention, and diagnostic purposes. We do not use cookies or third-party analytics/advertising trackers (see Section 10).

3. How we use your information

Create and secure your account, and verify your identity and phone number
Operate the marketplace: show artisan profiles, process bookings, and facilitate payments
Send transactional communications — OTP codes, booking updates, payment confirmations, and password resets — by WhatsApp, SMS, or email
Provide customer support and investigate disputes or suspected fraud
Review and approve (or reject) artisan identity verification submissions
Generate an AI-assisted draft description of a project when a customer opts to use that feature, based only on the notes they provide
Maintain the security, integrity, and proper functioning of the Platform
Comply with our legal obligations, including tax and financial record-keeping requirements

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

4. Our legal basis for processing

Depending on the context, we process your personal data because:

It is necessary to provide the service you asked for — for example, creating your account, matching you with an artisan, or processing a payment.
You have given consent — for example, when you choose to submit an ID document for verification, or opt to use the AI project-description assistant.
We have a legitimate business interest — such as keeping the Platform secure, preventing fraud, and improving how it works — balanced against your rights and expectations.
We are required to by law — for example, retaining certain financial records.

5. How we share your information

With other users

Artisan and company profiles (name, photo, skills, city, rating, reviews, and verification status) are shown publicly on the Platform so customers can evaluate who to hire. Your name, phone number, and project details are shared with the specific artisan or customer involved in a booking so they can carry out the work.

With service providers who act on our behalf

We rely on a small number of trusted third parties to operate the Platform. Each only receives the data it needs to perform its function:

Hubtel (Ghana) — processes mobile money and card payments, and delivers transactional SMS.
Microsoft (Microsoft Graph API) — sends transactional emails such as verification codes, password resets, and booking notifications.
Our WhatsApp verification provider — delivers WhatsApp one-time codes used to verify your phone number.
Anthropic — powers the optional AI project-description assistant; only the project notes you choose to submit to that feature are sent, not your account or payment details.

These providers are contractually restricted from using your data for their own purposes and must handle it securely.

For legal reasons

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or a lawful request from the Ghana Data Protection Commission or another competent authority, or where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of LetsBuildAfrica, our users, or the public.

6. How we store and protect your data

Passwords are never stored in plain text — only a salted, one-way cryptographic hash.
Data in transit between your device and our servers is encrypted (HTTPS/TLS).
Access to sensitive data, such as ID documents and payment details, is restricted to what our systems and authorized administrators need to operate the service.
We use industry-standard database and infrastructure providers to host your data.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a data breach that affects your personal data, we will notify you and the Data Protection Commission as required by law.

7. How long we keep your data

We keep your personal data for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Platform. After that, we retain it only as long as reasonably necessary to comply with legal, tax, accounting, or dispute-resolution obligations, after which it is deleted or anonymized.

8. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Request deletion of your account and associated personal data
Object to or restrict certain processing of your data
Request a copy of your data in a portable format
Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent (this won’t affect processing already carried out)

Most profile information can be updated directly from your dashboard. For anything else — including account deletion — contact us at privacy@letsbuildafrica.org and we will action your request within a reasonable time. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Ghana Data Protection Commission.

9. International data transfers

Some of our service providers (Section 5) may process data on servers located outside Ghana. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure your data continues to receive an appropriate level of protection, consistent with the requirements of the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843).

10. Cookies and local storage

We do not use tracking or advertising cookies. We use your browser’s local storage to keep you signed in and to save your progress while filling out multi-step forms. See our Cookie Policy for full details.

11. Children's privacy

The Platform is intended for use by adults (18 years and older) entering into construction service agreements. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices or for legal or operational reasons. We will update the “Last updated” date above, and where changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to notify you.

13. Contact us

If you have questions about this policy or how we handle your personal data, contact us at privacy@letsbuildafrica.org.