Terms of Use

1. Introduction

Welcome to Ochuwa. Ochuwa is a digital event platform owned and operated by Odufa Technologies Ltd. ("Odufa", "we", "our", or "us"). These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Ochuwa platform, including our websites, mobile applications, APIs, ticketing services, contest management tools, voting systems, registration services, donation campaigns, merchandise marketplace, payment services, and all related products ("Services").

By creating an account, accessing the platform, purchasing tickets, casting votes, registering for an event, making donations, buying merchandise, or otherwise using our Services, you agree to be legally bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must discontinue use of the Services.

2. About Ochuwa

Ochuwa is a technology product of Odufa Technologies Ltd that enables organizers to create and manage events, contests, pageants, award ceremonies, fundraising campaigns, registrations, merchandise sales, ticketing, public voting, and related activities. Unless expressly stated otherwise, Ochuwa and Odufa Technologies Ltd are not the organizer, promoter, sponsor, venue operator, or owner of events listed on the platform. The organizer is solely responsible for the operation of their event.

3. Eligibility

To use Ochuwa you must be at least 18 years old or have legal permission from a parent or guardian, provide accurate and truthful information, comply with all applicable laws, and have legal authority to enter into binding agreements. We may refuse or terminate accounts that do not meet these requirements.

4. User Accounts

Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials. You agree to provide accurate information, keep your password secure, notify us immediately of unauthorized access, and update your information when it changes. You may not create fake accounts, impersonate another person, share your account, or sell your account.

5. Organizer Responsibilities

Event organizers are solely responsible for event accuracy, schedules, venues, speakers, contestants, nominees, judges, prizes, permits, taxes, event content, and compliance with applicable laws. Organizers warrant that all information published on Ochuwa is accurate. Ochuwa reserves the right to suspend or remove events that violate these Terms.

6. Ticket Purchases & Buyer Escrow Protection

Tickets purchased through Ochuwa are subject to the organizer's event rules and platform consumer protections. To protect attendees against event cancellation and organizer abandonment, ticket purchase proceeds are held in secure platform escrow and are not released to the event organizer until the event has concluded. Each ticket contains a unique identifier or QR code. Users must not duplicate, forge, alter, or resell tickets where prohibited. Duplicate or fraudulent tickets will be cancelled without notice.

7. Public Voting

Ochuwa provides secure public voting technology. Voting units represent real-time digital services consumed immediately upon casting to recalculate official contestant rankings on public leaderboards. By participating, you acknowledge and agree that vote purchases are final, fully consumed upon processing, and strictly non-refundable except where a documented double-charge or payment gateway technical error occurred. Automated voting, bots, scripting, or any form of vote manipulation is prohibited and will result in invalidation of fraudulent votes.

8. Contestants and Nominees

Contestants and nominees must ensure that submitted information is accurate, photographs belong to them or are used with permission, and they possess any required rights or permissions. Organizers retain discretion to approve, reject, suspend, or remove applications in accordance with their published rules.

9. Registration Services & Contestant Entry Fees

Certain competitions, pageants, and auditions require an entry or registration fee. All registration fees are held in platform escrow until the contest commences or initial screening concludes. If a competition is cancelled before commencement, registrants are entitled to a full refund of their registration fee directly from escrow. Submission of an application does not guarantee victory or finalist selection.

10. Donations & Charitable Campaigns

Donations made through Ochuwa are voluntary financial gifts to the specific charitable cause, non-profit initiative, or community project published by the campaign organizer. Donations are generally non-refundable once processed. Organizers represent and warrant that 100% of net donations received will be deployed exclusively for the declared purpose. Ochuwa actively monitors fundraising campaigns for authenticity and reserves the right to freeze campaigns, withhold payouts, audit disbursements, and refund donors where fraudulent misrepresentation or misuse of funds is established.

11. Merchandise

Organizers may sell merchandise through Ochuwa and are responsible for inventory, product quality, shipping, returns, warranties, and delivery. Ochuwa provides only the technology platform unless otherwise stated.

12. Payments

Payments made through Ochuwa are processed using approved payment partners. Applicable fees may include platform fees, payment gateway charges, taxes, and applicable government levies. By making a payment, you authorize the applicable payment processor to debit your selected payment method.

13. Refunds, Cancellations & Event Postponements

In the event of an event cancellation by an organizer, ticket buyers and contestant registrants are protected by Ochuwa's escrow system and will receive full refunds to their original payment method or wallet. In the event of a postponement or substantial reschedule, attendees will receive an opt-in refund window to request a refund if they cannot attend the rescheduled date. Voluntary attendee refund requests are governed by the organizer's stated refund window. Please refer to our complete Refund & Cancellation Policy.

14. KYC and Identity Verification

Organizers may be required to complete identity verification before receiving settlements. Verification may include BVN, NIN, government-issued identification, selfie verification, or additional compliance documentation. Failure to complete verification may delay or prevent payouts.

15. Fraud Prevention

To protect users and organizers, Ochuwa actively monitors transactions and platform activity. We may hold settlements, delay withdrawals, request additional verification, suspend campaigns, suspend accounts, reject transactions, and report suspicious activity to relevant authorities where required by law, without prior notice where necessary.

16. Prohibited Activities

Users must not use bots or automated systems, manipulate votes, commit payment fraud, abuse chargebacks, distribute malware, scrape platform data, impersonate others, publish false information, infringe intellectual property rights, organize illegal events, promote terrorism or violence, engage in money laundering, harass other users, or upload explicit or unlawful content. Violation may result in immediate suspension or permanent removal.

17. User Content

Users retain ownership of content they upload. By uploading content, you grant Ochuwa a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, display, process, and distribute such content solely for the purpose of operating and promoting the Services. Users are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary rights to any content they submit.

18. Intellectual Property

All rights relating to the Ochuwa platform, including software, branding, trademarks, logos, designs, graphics, and content created by Ochuwa, remain the exclusive property of Ochuwa. No portion of the platform may be copied, reproduced, or redistributed without prior written permission.

19. Privacy

Our collection and processing of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy. By using Ochuwa, you consent to such processing as described therein.

20. Suspension and Termination

Ochuwa may suspend or terminate access where these Terms are violated, fraud is suspected, legal obligations require action, or platform security is threatened. Termination does not affect obligations that accrued before termination.

21. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Ochuwa provides the Services on an "as is" and "as available" basis. Ochuwa is not responsible for event cancellations or postponements, organizer actions or omissions, venue changes, prize disputes, judging outcomes, participant conduct, or losses arising from third-party services.

22. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ochuwa, its affiliates, employees, officers, directors, and partners from claims, damages, liabilities, losses, and expenses arising from your use of the Services, your violation of these Terms, your violation of applicable law, or your infringement of another person's rights.

23. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts of Nigeria unless otherwise required by applicable law.

24. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Where changes are material, we will provide appropriate notice through the platform or by other reasonable means. Continued use of the Services after such changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

25. Contact Us

For questions regarding these Terms, please contact Ochuwa Support:
Email: support@ochuwa.com.ng
Website: ochuwa.com.ng