Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Commercial Gist (“we”, “our”, or “us”) operates the website commercialgist.com — a commercial law intelligence platform providing legal insights, analysis, case studies, job listings, and advisory consultations for founders, executives, investors, and legal professionals operating in Nigeria and beyond.

Our registered place of business is Lagos, Nigeria. For all data protection enquiries, you may reach us at hello@commercialgist.com.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal data when you access or use our website, subscribe to our newsletter, book a consultation, or otherwise engage with our services. Please read this policy carefully. By using commercialgist.com, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these terms.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal data that you provide directly, data generated automatically when you use our website, and in some cases, data from third-party sources.

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

Newsletter subscription: Your email address, and optionally your name, when you subscribe to our weekly legal intelligence briefing.
Consultation bookings: Your name, email address, phone number, professional background, and the nature of your legal enquiry when you book an advisory session.
Job board applications: Where facilitated through our platform, your name, contact details, CV, and application materials.
Enquiries and communications: Any information you include when you contact us by email or through our website’s contact features.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, referring URLs, click paths, and search queries within the site.
Device and technical data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, and screen resolution.
Cookies and similar technologies: We use cookies and tracking pixels to understand how visitors engage with our content. See Section 6 for full details.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive limited information about you from third-party services such as analytics platforms (e.g. Google Analytics), social media platforms when you engage with our content, and payment processors where applicable. We only use such data in ways consistent with this policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

To deliver and personalise our newsletter and editorial content.
To process and manage consultation bookings and facilitate advisory sessions.
To respond to your enquiries and provide customer support.
To operate and improve the functionality of our website and services.
To analyse how our content is used and to improve the user experience.
To send you relevant updates about new articles, case studies, events, and services — where you have consented or where we have a legitimate interest.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations applicable to us in Nigeria and in other jurisdictions where relevant.
To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or misuse of our platform.

We do not engage in automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects on users.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Where we process your personal data, we do so under one or more of the following legal bases as provided under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA) and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Consent: Where you have explicitly opted in to receive our newsletter or marketing communications.
Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to fulfil a consultation booking or service you have requested.
Legitimate interests: Where we process data to improve our services, conduct analytics, or send relevant editorial updates — provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
Legal obligation: Where we are required to process data to comply with applicable Nigerian law or regulatory requirements.

You may withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of any processing that occurred before withdrawal.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

Service providers: We work with trusted third-party vendors who assist us with email delivery, website hosting, analytics, and payment processing. These parties are contractually bound to protect your data and use it only for the services they provide to us.
Job board employers: Where you apply for a position through our jobs board and the employer facilitates applications via our platform, your application data may be shared with the relevant employer.
Legal compliance: We may disclose your data if required to do so by law, regulation, court order, or governmental authority in Nigeria or any other applicable jurisdiction.
Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with applicable data protection law.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our website, understand user behaviour, and improve our content and services.

Types of Cookies We Use

Strictly necessary cookies: Required for the website to function correctly. These cannot be disabled.
Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g. Google Analytics). Data is aggregated and anonymised where possible.
Functional cookies: Used to remember your preferences and improve your experience on return visits.
Marketing cookies: Where enabled, used to deliver content relevant to your interests across our platform and third-party channels.

You may control or disable non-essential cookies through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by applicable law:

Newsletter subscribers: For the duration of your subscription and a reasonable period thereafter to manage unsubscribe preferences.
Consultation records: For a minimum of six (6) years from the date of consultation, in line with standard professional and legal record-keeping obligations in Nigeria.
Analytics data: Typically aggregated or anonymised after 26 months.
General enquiries: Retained for up to 24 months unless an ongoing relationship requires longer retention.

When data is no longer required, we delete or anonymise it securely.

8. Your Data Rights

Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and applicable international frameworks, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right to access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure: You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to our legal obligations to retain certain records.
Right to restrict processing: You may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability: You may request that we transfer your data to you or a third party in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object: You may object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@commercialgist.com. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) if you believe your rights have been infringed.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include secure server configurations, encrypted data transmission (HTTPS), access controls, and periodic security reviews.

However, no transmission over the internet or electronic storage system is entirely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You share your data with us at your own risk.

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the relevant regulatory authority and, where required, affected individuals, in accordance with our obligations under the NDPA 2023.

10. International Data Transfers

Some of our third-party service providers — such as email platforms, cloud hosting providers, or analytics tools — may process your data outside of Nigeria. Where such transfers occur, we ensure that adequate safeguards are in place, including:

Standard contractual clauses approved by relevant data protection authorities.
Use of service providers operating in jurisdictions recognised as providing adequate data protection.
Any other mechanism recognised under the NDPA 2023 or applicable international frameworks.

11. Children's Privacy

Commercial Gist is intended for professional and business audiences. Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a person under 18, we will take prompt steps to delete that information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or platform features. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or a prominent notice on our website.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our platform following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

Email: hello@commercialgist.com
Address: Lagos, Nigeria
Website: https://commercialgist.com

We are committed to working with you to resolve any concerns about our handling of your personal data fairly and promptly.