This policy applies to the Oceanic membership application administered by Port Harcourt Eco-Bizwallet Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd.
01
Who this policy applies to
This Privacy Policy explains how Port Harcourt Eco-Bizwallet Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd (the “Co-operative”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) handles personal information collected through the Oceanic Grains of Wealth website, membership application, membership administration, and related programme communications.
For the processing described here, the Co-operative determines why and how applicant and member information is used. This policy applies to applicants, Members, next of kin, people who contact us, and visitors to the website.
02
Information we collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
- Identity details, including title, surname, first and middle names, date of birth, sex, marital status, occupation, and application reference.
- Contact details, including telephone number, email address, residential address, and optional office or business address.
- Background details, including state and local government area of origin, place of birth, home town or community, nationality, and optional religion.
- Membership and transaction details, including intended contribution amount and frequency, payment records, receipts, account standing, applications, approvals, and programme activity.
- Next-of-kin details, including name, contact details, and optional date of birth.
- Consent, correspondence, complaints, call or meeting notes, identity or eligibility evidence, and records needed to prevent fraud or resolve disputes.
- Technical information generated when the digital service is used, such as device, browser, approximate location derived from an internet address, pages visited, diagnostic events, and essential cookie data.
03
Why we use personal information
- Receive, review, verify, and decide membership applications.
- Confirm identity, age, eligibility, affordability, and the accuracy of information supplied.
- Create and administer membership records, contributions, benefits, meetings, loans, assets, support, and other requested services.
- Send application updates, account notices, meeting information, policy changes, service messages, and responses to enquiries.
- Process and reconcile payments, maintain receipts and audit records, and recover valid outstanding obligations.
- Protect Members and the Co-operative, prevent fraud or misuse, investigate complaints, enforce agreements, and establish or defend legal claims.
- Meet legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, governance, and reporting obligations.
- Improve the accessibility, reliability, security, and performance of the website and membership service.
- Use a Member’s name, photograph, story, voice, or likeness for the purposes described in the Membership Terms where permission applies.
04
Fair and lawful processing
We process personal information only where there is a valid reason to do so. Depending on the activity, that may include taking steps at your request before entering a membership agreement, performing an agreement, complying with a legal obligation, pursuing a legitimate operational or security interest that does not override your rights, or relying on consent where consent is appropriate.
We will not use personal information for a new and incompatible purpose without giving an appropriate notice and, where required, obtaining permission.
05
Optional religion and other sensitive information
Religion is optional in the membership application. You may leave it blank or choose not to say. It must not be used to make an eligibility or membership decision unless a lawful, authorised programme policy expressly requires that information and you are informed beforehand.
Where information is sensitive under applicable data-protection law, we apply additional care and use it only where a lawful condition permits. Please do not provide unnecessary medical, biometric, financial-account, or other sensitive information in free-text fields.
06
Next-of-kin information
If you give us another person’s details, you confirm that you are authorised to provide them and that you have told the person why the Co-operative may contact them. Next-of-kin details are used for necessary membership administration or contact and do not make that person liable for your obligations unless the person separately agrees in writing to act as a guarantor or in another legal capacity.
08
Security and confidentiality
We use proportionate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Measures may include access controls, confidentiality duties, secure transmission, backups, monitoring, and incident-response procedures.
No online or paper system can be guaranteed completely secure. Applicants should use official channels, protect account credentials and receipts, and promptly report suspected fraud, mistaken disclosure, or unauthorised access.
09
How long information is kept
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose collected, including application review, membership administration, legal and accounting obligations, fraud prevention, complaints, and disputes. Different records may require different periods.
When information is no longer required, it should be securely deleted, destroyed, or irreversibly anonymised. An unsuccessful or withdrawn application will not be kept indefinitely without a documented legal or operational reason.
10
Your privacy rights
Subject to applicable Nigerian data-protection law and lawful exceptions, you may ask us to:
- Confirm whether we hold your personal information and provide access to it.
- Correct information that is inaccurate or complete information that is incomplete.
- Delete information or restrict its use where the legal conditions are met.
- Object to particular processing, including certain direct-marketing activities.
- Withdraw consent for future processing where consent is the basis relied on.
- Provide eligible information in a portable format where the right applies.
- Explain and allow appropriate review of a significant decision made solely by automated means, if such a process is introduced.
- Complain to us and, where unresolved, approach the competent Nigerian data-protection authority.
12
Children and age eligibility
The membership application is intended for people aged 21 or older. We do not knowingly invite children to apply through this form. If information about an ineligible child has been submitted, contact us so it can be reviewed and removed where appropriate.
13
Processing outside Nigeria
Some technology or professional service providers may process information outside Nigeria. Where this occurs, we must use a lawful transfer mechanism and reasonable contractual, organisational, and security safeguards appropriate to the information and destination.
14
Keeping information accurate
Applicants and Members should provide accurate information and tell us when important details change. We may request reasonable evidence before changing identity, contact, payment, or next-of-kin records to prevent fraud and mistaken updates.
15
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our services, legal duties, or data practices change. The current version will show its effective date. Material changes should be communicated through an appropriate official channel, and fresh consent will be requested where the law requires it.
16
Questions, requests, and complaints
To ask a privacy question, exercise a right, report a concern, or complain, use an official channel listed on the Oceanic Contact page and state that your enquiry concerns privacy. We may need to verify your identity before disclosing or changing personal information.
Please do not include passwords, full payment credentials, or unnecessary identity documents in an initial message. If a complaint is not resolved, you may contact the competent Nigerian data-protection authority.