Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 24 August 2026

1. Introduction

1. HostAfrica (“HostAfrica”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

2. This Privacy Policy explains:

   • what personal information we collect;
   • how and why we collect it;
   • how we use it;
   • who we share it with;
   • how we protect it;
   • how long we keep it; and
   • the rights you have regarding your personal information.

3. This policy applies to:

   • our websites;
   • customer portals;
   • mobile applications;
   • products and services;
   • support interactions; and
   • any other services provided by HostAfrica.
4. We process personal information in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, including the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA), and, where applicable, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

2. Personal Information We Collect

1. Depending on the products and services you use, we may collect the following categories of information.

   1. Information you provide to us

      This includes:

      1. Full name
      2. Company name
      3. Email address
      4. Telephone number
      5. Physical and billing addresses
      6. VAT number
      7. Identity or company registration details where required
      8. Payment and billing information
      9. Domain registration information
      10. Support enquiries and correspondence
      11. Marketing preferences

   2. Information collected automatically

      When you visit our websites or use our services, we may automatically collect:

      1. IP address
      2. Browser type and version
      3. Operating system
      4. Device information
      5. Session information
      6. Website pages visited
      7. Referral source
      8. Date and time of visits
      9. Login activity
      10. Cookie identifiers
      11. Application usage statistics

   3. Information generated through your use of our services

      Depending on the services you use, we may also process:

      1. Hosting account information
      2. Domain registration details
      3. DNS records
      4. Email configuration
      5. Server and system logs
      6. Security logs
      7. Firewall events
      8. Backup information
      9. Control panel activity
      10. Customer support history
      11. Product usage statistics

3. How We Collect Information

1. We collect information in several ways:
   1. directly from you when you purchase products or create an account;
   2. when you contact our support teams;
   3. when you use our websites or applications;
   4. through cookies and similar technologies;
   5. from payment providers;
   6. from domain registries and registrars;
   7. from fraud prevention providers;
   8. from publicly available sources where permitted by law.

4. Why We Use Your Information

1. We only process personal information where we have a lawful reason to do so.
2. We use your information to:

   1. Provide our services

      Including:

      1. creating customer accounts;
      2. provisioning hosting services;
      3. registering domain names;
      4. providing cloud infrastructure;
      5. processing orders;
      6. delivering products you have purchased.

   2. Process payments

      Including:

      1. issuing invoices;
      2. processing payments;
      3. collecting outstanding amounts;
      4. managing subscriptions.

   3. Customer support

      Including:

      1. responding to enquiries;
      2. troubleshooting issues;
      3. managing support tickets;
      4. communicating service updates.

   4. Improve our services

      Including:

      1. analysing website usage;
      2. improving customer experience;
      3. developing new products;
      4. monitoring service performance.

   5. Security and fraud prevention

      Including:

      1. preventing abuse of our network;
      2. detecting fraud;
      3. investigating security incidents;
      4. protecting our infrastructure;
      5. maintaining system integrity.

   6. Marketing

      Where permitted by law, we may use your information to:

      1. send product updates;
      2. announce promotions;
      3. invite participation in surveys;
      4. provide educational content.

      You may opt out of marketing communications at any time without affecting service-related communications.

   7. Legal and regulatory compliance

      We may process personal information where necessary to:

      1. comply with applicable laws;
      2. meet tax obligations;
      3. respond to lawful requests;
      4. enforce our agreements;
      5. protect our legal rights.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

1. Depending on your location and applicable legislation, we process personal information because:
   1. you requested our products or services;
   2. you have provided consent;
   3. processing is necessary to perform a contract;
   4. processing is required by law;
   5. processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

6. Sharing Your Information

1. We do not sell your personal information.
2. We may share information with trusted third parties where necessary to provide our services. These may include:
   1. Domain registries
   2. Domain registrars
   3. Payment processors
   4. Fraud prevention providers
   5. Identity verification providers
   6. Cloud infrastructure providers
   7. Data centre operators
   8. Email service providers
   9. Customer communication platforms
   10. Analytics providers
   11. Professional advisers
   12. Auditors
   13. Regulatory authorities
   14. Law enforcement agencies where legally required
3. All third parties are expected to process personal information responsibly and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

7. International Transfers

1. HostAfrica operates across multiple countries and works with global technology providers.
2. As a result, your personal information may be transferred to or processed in countries outside South Africa.
3. Where this occurs, we take reasonable contractual, organisational and technical measures to ensure your information continues to receive an appropriate level of protection consistent with applicable privacy legislation.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

1. We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience. These include:

   1. Essential Cookies

      Required for website functionality and security.

   2. Performance Cookies

      Help us understand how visitors use our websites.

   3. Analytics Cookies

      Provide insights into website performance and customer behaviour.

   4. Preference Cookies

      Remember your settings and preferences.

   5. Marketing Cookies

      Help us deliver more relevant advertising and communications where permitted.

2. You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

3. Affiliate and advertising partners:

   When you follow an affiliate link or an advertising network link to this website, we record the referral code or the click code from that link. We store the value in a cookie on our own domain, and our Cookie Policy names those cookies. The click code then reaches Targetcircle, the platform behind AdMarula, through our client area. That transfer runs from our server to their server, after you leave this website. Targetcircle uses the value to credit the partner who referred you. The value is a code issued by the network, and it holds no personal information about you.

9. Domain Registration Information

1. If you register a domain name through HostAfrica, certain personal information may need to be shared with domain registries, registrars or relevant registry operators to comply with registration requirements.
2. Some domain extensions require registrant information to be published or disclosed according to registry policies.
3. Where privacy or proxy registration services are available, these may reduce the amount of personal information publicly visible.

10. Hosting and Service Logs

1. Our infrastructure automatically generates technical logs necessary for operating secure and reliable hosting services. These may include:
   1. server logs;
   2. email logs;
   3. DNS logs;
   4. firewall logs;
   5. authentication logs;
   6. control panel logs;
   7. application logs.
2. These logs are used for:
   1. security;
   2. troubleshooting;
   3. abuse prevention;
   4. performance monitoring;
   5. compliance.

11. Artificial Intelligence Services

1. Some HostAfrica services may include artificial intelligence functionality.
2. Where AI features are provided, personal information will only be processed where necessary to provide the requested functionality, improve service quality, maintain security, or comply with legal obligations.
3. Where third-party AI providers are used, appropriate contractual and security safeguards are implemented where reasonably practicable.

12. Data Security

1. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information. These measures may include:
   1. encryption in transit;
   2. secure payment processing;
   3. access controls;
   4. role-based permissions;
   5. multi-factor authentication where applicable;
   6. network monitoring;
   7. vulnerability management;
   8. regular security updates;
   9. secure backups;
   10. incident response procedures.
2. No internet-based service can guarantee absolute security. However, we continually work to maintain industry-appropriate security standards.
3. Should a security incident involving personal information occur, we will respond in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

13. Data Retention

1. We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to:

   1. provide our services;
   2. comply with legal obligations;
   3. resolve disputes;
   4. enforce agreements;
   5. protect our legitimate business interests.

2. Retention periods vary depending on the information concerned. Examples include:

   Information	Typical Retention
   Customer account	While active and for a reasonable period thereafter
   Invoices and financial records	As required by applicable tax legislation
   Support tickets	Until no longer required for support or legal purposes
   Security logs	According to operational and security requirements
   Marketing preferences	Until consent is withdrawn or no longer required

3. Where information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, anonymised or destroyed.

14. Your Privacy Rights

1. Subject to applicable law, you may request:
   1. access to your personal information;
   2. correction of inaccurate information;
   3. deletion of information where legally permitted;
   4. restriction of certain processing activities;
   5. withdrawal of consent;
   6. objection to direct marketing;
   7. information regarding how your data is processed.
2. Requests may be submitted using the contact details below.

15. Public Forums and Third-Party Websites

1. Information disclosed in public forums, discussion boards or websites hosted by you is publicly accessible and cannot be controlled by HostAfrica.
2. Our websites may also contain links to third-party websites.
3. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

16. Children

1. Our products and services are not intended for individuals under the age at which they can legally enter into binding contracts without appropriate consent.
2. Where required by law, parental or guardian consent must be obtained before services are provided.
3. We do not knowingly market our services directly to children.

17. Changes to this Privacy Policy

1. We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
2. Where material changes are made, we will publish the updated version on our website and, where appropriate, notify customers through appropriate communication channels.
3. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy indicates when the latest revisions were made.

18. Contact Us

1. If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us.

   HostAfrica

   • Email: support@hostafrica.com
   • Website: https://www.hostafrica.ng
   • Physical Address: Plot 3A, Olumuyiwa Street, Off Babington Ashaye Crescent, Omole Phase 1, Lagos, Nigeria