Effective Date: 1 January 2026 |
Last Updated: 1 May 2026
The Investment Promotion Agencies of West Africa Secretariat ("IPAWAS", "we", "us") operates the platform at ipawas.org. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights in relation to it. By using our platform you agree to the practices described here.
1. Data We Collect
We collect personal data in the following ways:
- Contact & inquiry forms — name, email address, phone number, organisation, country, and the content of your message when you submit an inquiry.
- Newsletter subscription — email address when you subscribe to our newsletter.
- IPA user accounts — name, email, job title, and organisation details when an IPA staff member is invited to the platform.
- Usage data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on pages, collected automatically via server logs and analytics tools.
- Cookies — session cookies required for platform functionality, and optional analytics cookies (see section 6).
2. How We Use Your Data
- To respond to your inquiries and direct them to the relevant Investment Promotion Agency.
- To send you our newsletter if you subscribed (you may unsubscribe at any time).
- To provide and maintain IPA user accounts on the platform.
- To analyse platform usage and improve our services.
- To comply with legal obligations.
3. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your data on the following legal bases:
- Contractual necessity — processing needed to provide the services you requested (e.g. responding to an inquiry).
- Legitimate interests — improving the platform and preventing fraud.
- Consent — newsletter subscriptions and optional analytics cookies.
- Legal obligation — retaining records as required by applicable law.
4. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We may share it with:
- Member IPAs — inquiry data is routed to the relevant national Investment Promotion Agency to handle your request.
- Service providers — Mailjet (email delivery), Cloudinary (media hosting), and Heroku/cloud infrastructure providers, under data-processing agreements.
- Legal authorities — where required by law or to protect the rights of IPAWAS or third parties.
5. Data Retention
Inquiry records are retained for 5 years to support follow-up and audit. Newsletter subscriber records are retained until you unsubscribe. IPA account data is retained for the duration of the account plus 2 years after deactivation. Usage logs are retained for 90 days.
6. Cookies
We use strictly necessary session cookies to keep you logged in. With your consent, we may use analytics cookies (e.g. Google Analytics) to understand how the platform is used. You can withdraw consent at any time by clearing your cookies or contacting us.
7. Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction you may have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you.
- Request correction of inaccurate data.
- Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention obligations).
- Object to or restrict certain processing.
- Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is consent-based).
- Lodge a complaint with a relevant data protection authority.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at infodesk@ipawas.org.
8. Data Security
We implement industry-standard technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, disclosure, or loss, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls, and regular security reviews.
9. International Transfers
IPAWAS operates across ECOWAS member states. Your data may be processed or stored outside your country of residence by our service providers. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for any such transfers.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy periodically. Material changes will be announced on this page with a revised effective date. Continued use of the platform after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
11. Contact Us
For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, contact the IPAWAS Secretariat:
Email: infodesk@ipawas.org
Address: IPAWAS Secretariat, c/o NIPC, Plot 1181 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria.