Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

Welcome to FixKano ("we," "our," or "us"). These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of our website (fixkano.ng) and mobile application (collectively, the "Service") for reporting and tracking community issues in Kano State, Nigeria.

FixKano is a civic engagement platform that connects citizens with government agencies to improve public services, infrastructure, and accountability.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account, submitting reports, or otherwise using FixKano, you acknowledge that:

• You have read, understood, and agree to these Terms
• You have read and agree to our Privacy Policy
• You are at least 18 years old
• You will comply with all applicable laws of Nigeria

3. Eligibility

To use FixKano, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a valid Nigerian phone number for OTP verification
• Provide accurate and truthful information during registration
• Reside in or be reporting issues within Kano State, Nigeria

Minors: Individuals under 18 are not permitted to create accounts. If we discover an account belongs to a minor, it will be deleted immediately.

4. User Accounts

4.1 Account Creation

To access certain features, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate information (name, email, phone number)
• Verify your phone number via SMS OTP
• Keep your password secure and confidential
• Not share your account with others
• Notify us immediately if your account is compromised

4.2 Account Types

FixKano has three types of user accounts:

• Users (Citizens): Can submit reports, track their reports, and receive notifications
• Category Admins (Agency Officials): Can manage reports in their assigned category (Health, Infrastructure, etc.)
• Superusers (Government Administrators): Can manage all reports, users, and categories across the platform

4.3 Account Security

You are responsible for:

• All activities that occur under your account
• Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
• Logging out when using shared or public devices

5. Use of Service

5.1 Permitted Uses

You may use FixKano to:

• Report legitimate community issues (infrastructure, health, education, environment, etc.)
• Upload photos and provide location information for reports
• Track the status of your submitted reports
• Receive notifications about report updates
• View other users' reports to understand community issues

5.2 Prohibited Uses

You agree NOT to:

• Submit False Reports: Deliberately reporting non-existent or fabricated issues
• Harass or Defame: Using the platform to harass, threaten, or defame individuals, businesses, or government officials
• Upload Inappropriate Content: Submitting obscene, offensive, violent, or illegal images/content
• Spam: Creating duplicate reports or flooding the system with frivolous reports
• Impersonate: Pretending to be someone else or creating fake accounts
• Hack or Exploit: Attempting to gain unauthorized access to our systems or other users' accounts
• Scrape Data: Using automated tools to extract data from our platform
• Violate Laws: Using the Service for any illegal purpose

5.3 Report Submission Guidelines

When submitting a report, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and truthful information
• Include clear photos that show the issue
• Provide correct location information (GPS or manual)
• Select the appropriate category (Health, Infrastructure, Education, etc.)
• Write a clear and respectful description
• Not include personal information (phone numbers, addresses) of other individuals without consent

6. Content and Intellectual Property

6.1 Your Content

When you submit reports, photos, or comments ("User Content"), you:

• Retain ownership of your content
• Grant FixKano a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute your content for the purpose of operating the Service
• Confirm you have the right to share the content (e.g., you took the photos yourself)
• Understand that reports and images are publicly visible to promote transparency

6.2 Public Nature of Reports

6.3 FixKano's Intellectual Property

The FixKano platform, including:

• Software, code, and database structure
• Logo, branding, and design elements
• Website and mobile app interfaces

...are owned by FixKano and protected by Nigerian and international copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, or reverse-engineer our platform.

7. Location Data and Privacy

By using FixKano, you consent to:

• Collection of GPS coordinates when you submit reports (if you grant location permission)
• Public display of report locations on a map
• Use of location data to route reports to the appropriate government agency

Location Control: You can deny location access in your phone settings, but you will need to manually enter addresses.

For more details, see our Privacy Policy.

8. Government Agency Access

You acknowledge and agree that:

• Government agencies (Category Admins and Superusers) can view your reports
• Agencies may contact you via the platform or phone number you provided
• Agencies may add comments or update the status of your reports
• Your reports may be used for government planning, statistics, and public records

9. Disclaimer of Warranties

FixKano is provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.

We do NOT guarantee:

• That all reports will be addressed or resolved by government agencies
• Any specific timeline for issue resolution
• Uninterrupted or error-free service
• Complete accuracy of information provided by other users
• That the platform will meet your specific requirements

Important: FixKano is a communication tool, not a guarantee of government action. We facilitate reporting but do not control government response times or outcomes.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by Nigerian law:

• FixKano and its operators are NOT liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages
• This includes damages arising from:
  • Delays or failures in government response to reports
  • Loss of data or account access
  • Service interruptions or downtime
  • Actions or omissions of other users
  • Inaccurate or misleading information on the platform
• Our total liability for any claim related to the Service is limited to ₦10,000 (Ten Thousand Naira)

11. User Conduct and Content Moderation

11.1 Prohibited Content

We prohibit content that is:

• False, misleading, or fraudulent
• Defamatory, hateful, or discriminatory
• Violent, obscene, or pornographic
• Infringing on others' intellectual property rights
• Spam or advertising

11.2 Content Removal

FixKano reserves the right to:

• Remove reports or content that violates these Terms
• Suspend or delete accounts of repeat violators
• Report illegal content to law enforcement
• Edit or remove content without prior notice

11.3 User Responsibility

You are solely responsible for the content you submit. FixKano is not responsible for user-generated content or the actions of other users.

12. Termination and Suspension

12.1 By FixKano

We may terminate or suspend your account immediately, without notice, if you:

• Violate these Terms or our Privacy Policy
• Submit false or malicious reports
• Harass other users or government officials
• Attempt to hack or exploit the platform
• Use the Service for illegal purposes

12.2 By You

You may request account deletion by contacting support@fixkano.ng. Upon deletion:

• Your personal information will be anonymized
• Your reports will remain visible but marked as "Anonymous User"
• Report images will be retained for public record

12.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your access to the platform will be immediately revoked
• You must cease all use of FixKano
• Your submitted reports will remain public (cannot be deleted)

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless FixKano and its operators from any claims, liabilities, damages, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or third-party rights
• Content you submit to the platform

14. Changes to the Service

FixKano reserves the right to:

• Modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature of the Service
• Change these Terms at any time
• Update our Privacy Policy

Notice of Changes:

• Major changes: Email and SMS notification to users
• Minor changes: Updated "Last Modified" date on this page
• Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance

15. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

15.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

15.2 Jurisdiction

Any legal disputes arising from these Terms or your use of FixKano shall be resolved in the courts of Kano State, Nigeria.

15.3 Dispute Resolution Process

Before filing a lawsuit, we encourage you to:

1. Contact us at support@fixkano.ng to resolve the issue informally
2. Allow 14 days for us to respond and attempt resolution
3. If unresolved, proceed to mediation or arbitration (optional)

16. Third-Party Services

FixKano uses third-party services:

• Twilio: SMS messaging for OTP verification
• Contabo Object Storage: Cloud storage for images
• Google Places API: Location search and autocomplete

These services have their own terms and privacy policies. We are not responsible for their practices.

17. No Emergency Services

18. Miscellaneous

18.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, along with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and FixKano.

18.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found invalid, the remaining provisions will continue in full effect.

18.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision does not constitute a waiver of that right.

18.4 Assignment

You may not transfer your account or these Terms to another party. FixKano may assign these Terms without notice.

19. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or reports of Terms violations:

FixKano Support Team

• Email: support@fixkano.ng
• Legal Inquiries: legal@fixkano.ng
• Phone: +234 801 234 5678
• Address: Kano State, Nigeria

Response Time: We will respond within 7 business days.

20. Acknowledgment

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Document Version: 1.0
Effective Date: January 1, 2025
Governing Law: Laws of Nigeria