Privacy
Policy

Souq is a location-based social and services marketplace available on Android and iOS. We connect people nearby, enable real-time messaging, and allow users to offer and book local services.

For any privacy-related question, reach us at privacy@souqmobile.online or visit souqmobile.online.

Information you provide directly

• Full name
• Phone number — used for SMS OTP verification via Twilio
• Email address and password — for email-based sign-in
• Profile photo and bio
• Service listings you create (title, description, pricing, category)
• Messages you send to other users
• Payment details — processed entirely by Paystack; we never store raw card data

Information collected automatically

• Precise location — used to show you and others nearby users and services, collected while the app is in use
• Push notification token — delivered via Firebase Cloud Messaging
• App diagnostic logs — anonymised error and event logs used to fix bugs
• IP address and device type — standard server logs

Information from third parties

• Google OAuth — if you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email, and profile photo
• Paystack — transaction status and payment references only, never card numbers

• To create and manage your account
• To show you people and services near your location
• To enable real-time chat and messaging between users
• To process bookings and payments through the Souq Wallet
• To send push notifications about messages, bookings, and activity
• To verify your identity via phone OTP or email
• To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• To improve app performance using diagnostic logs
• To comply with applicable legal obligations

Location is only collected while the app is actively open on your screen. We do not track your location in the background without your explicit permission.

You may revoke location access at any time in your device settings. Note that doing so will limit core app features such as the nearby map.

We do not sell your personal data. Data is shared only in the following limited circumstances:

• Other users — your display name, profile photo, and approximate location are visible to nearby users on the map
• Twilio — your phone number is sent solely to deliver SMS OTP codes
• Paystack — payment details are handled under Paystack's own privacy policy
• Firebase (Google) — push notification tokens are stored in Firebase Cloud Messaging
• Supabase — our database and authentication provider, hosted on secure infrastructure
• Legal requirements — if required by law, court order, or to protect user safety

You have the following rights regarding your data:

• Access — request a copy of all data we hold about you
• Correction — update or correct your personal information directly in the app
• Deletion — delete your account and all associated data from the Account page
• Portability — request your data in a machine-readable format
• Notifications — disable push notifications in your device settings at any time
• Location — revoke location access in your device settings at any time

To exercise any right, contact us at privacy@souqmobile.online. We will respond within 30 days.

We use industry-standard security practices including HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data in transit, secure token storage on your device, and hashed passwords. Payment processing is handled entirely by Paystack, which is PCI-DSS compliant. We never store raw card details.

While we take strong precautions, no internet-based service can guarantee absolute security. We encourage you to use a strong password and keep your device secure.

Souq is not intended for users under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has created an account, please contact us immediately at privacy@souqmobile.online and we will delete the account promptly.

Souq integrates the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them.

• Supabase — database and authentication
• Firebase (Google) — push notifications
• Twilio — SMS OTP verification
• Paystack — payment processing
• Google — OAuth social sign-in

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, the "Effective" date at the top of this page will be updated. For significant changes, we will notify you via push notification or in-app alert.

Continued use of Souq after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

For any privacy question, data request, or concern, please reach out:

• Email: privacy@souqmobile.online
• Website: souqmobile.online

We aim to respond to all enquiries within 30 days.