Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data only for legitimate purposes directly related to providing and improving the Solar Start service:

• Creating and managing your account
• Delivering personalised course recommendations and tracking your progress
• Processing payments and verifying manual transfer proofs
• Issuing and verifying certificates of completion
• Connecting you with employer hiring partners (only with your explicit consent)
• Sending transactional emails (receipt confirmations, session reminders)
• Reviewing and responding to community membership applications
• Detecting and preventing fraudulent activity
• Analysing aggregate, anonymised usage patterns to improve the platform
• Complying with applicable laws and regulatory requirements

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Where applicable under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 and similar frameworks, we process your data on the following bases:

• Contract: Processing necessary to deliver the service you signed up for
• Legitimate Interests: Analytics, fraud prevention, and platform security
• Consent: Marketing communications and employer profile sharing (you may withdraw at any time)
• Legal Obligation: Compliance with tax, financial, and regulatory requirements

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only in these limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Paystack (payment processing), Agora (live session audio/video), hosting and infrastructure providers — all bound by data processing agreements
• Employer Partners: Your verified certificate and skill profile may be shared with hiring partners only if you opt in through our job-matching feature
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose data if required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger or acquisition, your data may transfer subject to the same protections described here

5. Payments & Financial Data

Card payments are processed entirely by Paystack. We receive a payment confirmation and transaction reference — never your raw card details. For bank transfers and international wire payments, we store only the reference number and proof image you submit for manual verification. Payment records are retained for 7 years to comply with financial recordkeeping requirements.

6. Uploaded Files & Résumés

Résumés and CVs submitted through the Community Application form are stored securely on our servers and are accessible only to Solar Start administrators for the purpose of reviewing your application. Files are not shared with third parties without your explicit consent. You may request deletion of your uploaded file at any time by contacting us.

7. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

• Session Management: Keeping you logged in securely
• CSRF Protection: Preventing cross-site request forgery
• Preferences: Remembering your settings
• Analytics: Aggregate usage statistics (no personally identifiable tracking)

You can disable cookies in your browser settings. Doing so may impair certain platform features, including staying logged in.

8. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active, plus a reasonable period thereafter in case you return. Specific retention periods:

• Account data: Retained while your account is active; deleted 90 days after a verified deletion request
• Payment records: 7 years (financial compliance)
• Course progress and certificates: Retained indefinitely so you can always verify past achievements
• Community application files: 2 years from submission date, or until you request deletion
• Contact form messages: 1 year

9. Your Rights

Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and applicable law, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention obligations)
• Restriction: Ask us to limit how we process your data in certain circumstances
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing or employer matching at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@solar-start.com.ng. We will respond within 30 days.

10. Children's Privacy

Solar Start is intended for users aged 16 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us immediately and we will delete the data.

11. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including HTTPS/TLS encryption in transit, hashed passwords (bcrypt), access controls, and regular security reviews. However, no internet transmission is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password and to contact us immediately if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or by a prominent notice on the platform at least 14 days before the changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent revision. Continued use of Solar Start after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data rights, or want to report a concern, please contact: