Important Notice — Please Read Carefully

These Terms and Conditions (‘Terms’, ‘Agreement’) constitute a legally binding contract between you (‘User’, ‘you’, ‘your’) and SkillMine Africa (‘Company’, ‘we’, ‘us’, ‘our’), a digital freelance marketplace registered and operating from Tetteh Ashon Street, Achimota, Accra, Ghana. By accessing or using the SkillMine Africa platform — including our website, mobile application, and any associated services — you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately cease using the platform. We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the platform after any amendments constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

1. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions apply:

“Platform” means the SkillMine Africa website, mobile application, and all associated digital services and tools.
“Freelancer” means any individual who registers on the Platform to offer services, submit proposals for projects, or receive direct service enquiries from Clients.
“Client” means any individual, business, or organisation that registers on the Platform to post projects, purchase services, or engage Freelancers.
“User” means any individual or entity that accesses or uses the Platform, including both Freelancers and Clients.
“Project” means a task, job, or assignment posted by a Client on the Platform for which Freelancers may submit proposals.
“Service Listing” (or “Gig”) means a pre-packaged service offered by a Freelancer at a defined price and scope, available for direct purchase by Clients.
“Proposal” means a formal bid submitted by a Freelancer in response to a Client’s Project posting.
“Order” means a confirmed agreement between a Client and a Freelancer to perform a specific service, whether arising from a Project award, Service Listing purchase, or custom arrangement via Direct Messaging.
“Escrow” means the secure holding of Client funds by SkillMine Africa pending satisfactory completion of an Order.
“Platform Fee” means the commission or service charge retained by SkillMine Africa on transactions conducted through the Platform.
“Content” means any text, images, files, data, information, or materials submitted, uploaded, or posted by Users on the Platform.
“Dispute” means any disagreement arising between a Client and a Freelancer in relation to an Order or the Platform’s services.

2. Eligibility and Account Registration

2.1 Eligibility Requirements

To register and use the SkillMine Africa Platform, you must:

Be at least 18 years of age, or the legal age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater;
Have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts under applicable law;
Not be prohibited from using the Platform under any applicable laws or regulations;
Provide accurate, complete, and truthful information during registration and throughout your use of the Platform;
Not have had a prior account suspended or permanently terminated by SkillMine Africa for violations of these Terms.

2.2 Account Registration

You must create an account to access the full features of the Platform. You agree to:

Provide accurate and up-to-date personal and professional information;
Maintain the confidentiality of your login credentials and password;
Notify us immediately at gigs@skillmine.africa if you suspect any unauthorised access to your account;
Accept full responsibility for all activities conducted under your account.

SkillMine Africa reserves the right to verify your identity, qualifications, and any information you provide at any time. We may request supporting documentation and may suspend or terminate accounts where verification cannot be completed to our satisfaction.

2.3 One Account Per User

Each individual or business entity may maintain only one active account on the Platform. Creation of multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions, manipulate ratings, or for any deceptive purpose is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate termination of all associated accounts.

3. Platform Services and Functionality

3.1 Nature of the Platform

SkillMine Africa operates as an online marketplace that facilitates connections between Clients and Freelancers. We are not a party to any contract between Clients and Freelancers and do not employ Freelancers. All contracts for the provision of services are entered into directly between the Client and the Freelancer. SkillMine Africa is not responsible for the performance, quality, or outcome of any services provided through the Platform.

3.2 Project Competition Model

Clients may post Projects on the Platform describing the scope of work, timeline, and budget. Freelancers may browse posted Projects and submit Proposals for consideration. The Client retains sole discretion to select a Freelancer based on any criteria they deem appropriate. Submission of a Proposal does not guarantee selection or payment. SkillMine Africa does not guarantee that any Project will receive Proposals, nor that any Proposal will result in a successful engagement.

3.3 Service Listings (Gigs)

Freelancers may create Service Listings offering specific, pre-defined services at stated prices and delivery timeframes. Clients may purchase Service Listings directly. By purchasing a Service Listing, the Client enters into a binding Order with the Freelancer. Freelancers are responsible for ensuring that their Service Listings accurately describe the scope, inclusions, and limitations of the offered services.

3.4 Direct Messaging and Custom Services

The Platform provides a Direct Messaging feature enabling Clients and Freelancers to communicate privately regarding custom service arrangements. Any agreement reached through Direct Messaging that results in a confirmed Order is subject to these Terms. Users are advised to conduct all negotiations and agreements through the Platform’s official messaging system. SkillMine Africa is not responsible for any arrangements made outside the Platform.

4. Freelancer Obligations and Responsibilities

4.1 Professional Standards

Freelancers agree to:

Provide services with reasonable skill, care, and diligence consistent with professional standards in their respective field;
Complete all accepted Orders within the agreed timeline and to the agreed specification;
Communicate proactively and professionally with Clients throughout the engagement;
Disclose any conflict of interest or limitation in their ability to complete an Order as soon as it becomes known;
Maintain the confidentiality of any Client information shared in the course of an engagement.

4.2 Accurate Representation

Freelancers must accurately represent their skills, qualifications, experience, and portfolio on their profiles and in all communications with Clients. Misrepresentation of qualifications, the use of another person’s work in a portfolio without proper attribution, or the submission of fraudulent credentials is a material breach of these Terms and grounds for immediate termination.

4.3 Original Work and Intellectual Property

Freelancers warrant that all work delivered to Clients is original, does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, and has not been previously delivered to another client without appropriate licensing arrangements. Freelancers must not use AI-generated content, stock material, or third-party work as the primary deliverable unless this has been expressly disclosed to and agreed by the Client in advance.

4.4 Tax and Legal Compliance

Freelancers are independent contractors and are solely responsible for all applicable taxes, levies, national insurance, and regulatory compliance obligations arising from their earnings on the Platform. SkillMine Africa does not withhold taxes on behalf of Freelancers. Freelancers are advised to obtain independent legal and financial advice regarding their tax obligations.

5. Client Obligations and Responsibilities

5.1 Accurate Project Information

Clients must provide clear, accurate, and complete information when posting Projects or purchasing Service Listings. Clients must ensure that:

Project descriptions accurately reflect the scope, requirements, and budget;
All information shared with Freelancers is truthful and not misleading;
Any changes to Project scope are communicated promptly and negotiated in good faith.

5.2 Timely Feedback and Approval

Clients are obligated to review and provide feedback on Freelancer submissions within a reasonable timeframe. Failure to respond within the agreed period may result in automatic Order completion and release of Escrow funds to the Freelancer, as determined by the Platform’s dispute and completion policies.

5.3 Fair Dealing

Clients must engage with Freelancers in good faith. Clients may not:

Request work with the intention of not paying, whether through false disputes, chargebacks, or other means;
Demand work beyond the originally agreed scope without negotiating additional compensation;
Use Freelancer work submitted as a sample or test without proceeding to a paid engagement;
Share, reproduce, or commercialise work for which payment has not been completed and released.

6. Payments, Fees, and Escrow

6.1 Payment Method

All payments for Orders placed through the Platform must be made through SkillMine Africa’s designated payment systems. Payments made outside the Platform (e.g., direct bank transfers, mobile money sent privately, or cash) are not covered by our Escrow protection or dispute resolution services. SkillMine Africa strongly advises against off-platform payment arrangements.

6.2 Escrow Protection

Upon confirmation of an Order, Client funds are held in Escrow by SkillMine Africa and are not released to the Freelancer until:

The Client confirms that the delivered work meets the agreed requirements; or
The agreed delivery period has elapsed without the Client raising a dispute; or
A dispute has been resolved in the Freelancer’s favour through our Dispute Resolution process.

6.3 Platform Fees

SkillMine Africa charges a Platform Fee on all completed transactions. The applicable fee structure is published on the Platform and may be updated from time to time with reasonable notice. Platform Fees are non-refundable except where SkillMine Africa is in material breach of these Terms. Fees are deducted automatically from the Order value prior to disbursement to the Freelancer.

6.4 Refunds and Cancellations

Refunds are governed by the following principles:

If a Freelancer fails to deliver within the agreed timeframe without prior notice or extension agreement, the Client is entitled to a full refund of the Escrow amount.
If a Client cancels an Order after work has commenced, the Client may be entitled only to a partial refund, proportional to the work completed, as determined by our dispute resolution team.
Refunds for disputes are subject to our Dispute Resolution process (see Section 10).
Platform Fees are non-refundable once an Order has been confirmed and work has commenced.

6.5 Withdrawal of Earnings

Freelancers may withdraw cleared earnings through the available withdrawal methods listed on the Platform. Minimum withdrawal thresholds and processing times apply and are published in the Platform’s Help Centre. SkillMine Africa is not responsible for delays caused by third-party payment processors or banking institutions.

7. Intellectual Property Rights

7.1 Ownership of Delivered Work

Unless otherwise agreed in writing between the Client and Freelancer, full intellectual property rights in work delivered and fully paid for through the Platform transfer to the Client upon receipt of complete payment. The Freelancer retains no claim to the delivered work once payment is released.

7.2 Freelancer’s Right to Showcase

Unless the Client expressly requires confidentiality, Freelancers retain the right to display delivered work in their portfolio on the Platform and in their personal professional portfolio, for the purpose of demonstrating their skills to prospective clients. Freelancers must not disclose confidential business information belonging to the Client in such showcases.

7.3 SkillMine Africa Platform Content

All content on the SkillMine Africa Platform — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, software code, and design — is the exclusive property of SkillMine Africa or its licensors. Users may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from Platform content without express written authorisation from SkillMine Africa.

7.4 User-Generated Content Licence

By submitting Content to the Platform (including profile information, portfolio items, service descriptions, and reviews), you grant SkillMine Africa a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, display, reproduce, and distribute such Content for the purposes of operating, promoting, and improving the Platform.

8. Prohibited Conduct

The following conduct is strictly prohibited on the SkillMine Africa Platform. Violations may result in immediate account suspension, termination, and/or legal action:

Circumventing the Platform by engaging, communicating, or transacting with other Users outside of the Platform with the intent to avoid Platform Fees or obligations;
Submitting false, misleading, or fraudulent proposals, service listings, reviews, or any other content;
Posting or delivering any content that infringes third-party intellectual property rights, including copyrighted material, trademarks, or patents;
Harassing, threatening, abusing, or discriminating against any User on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic;
Using the Platform to promote, sell, or distribute illegal products, services, or content;
Attempting to gain unauthorised access to any User’s account or to any part of the Platform’s infrastructure;
Using automated bots, scripts, or other tools to scrape data, manipulate rankings, generate fake reviews, or otherwise disrupt the Platform’s operations;
Creating multiple accounts, using false identities, or impersonating another person or entity;
Posting content that is obscene, pornographic, defamatory, hateful, or otherwise offensive;
Engaging in any activity that undermines the safety, integrity, or fairness of the SkillMine Africa marketplace.

9. Reviews and Ratings

Upon completion of an Order, both Clients and Freelancers are invited to submit honest reviews and ratings of their experience. By submitting a review, you agree to:

Provide an honest, fair, and good-faith assessment of the other party’s performance;
Not submit reviews in exchange for any benefit, incentive, or to manipulate ratings;
Not submit defamatory, offensive, or false content in reviews;
Not threaten or coerce the other party in relation to the submission of reviews.

SkillMine Africa reserves the right to remove any review that violates these Terms or that we reasonably believe to be fraudulent, defamatory, or manipulative. Review manipulation — including the purchase of fake reviews or the intimidation of parties into providing favourable reviews — is a serious violation of these Terms.

10. Dispute Resolution

10.1 Informal Resolution

In the event of any dispute between a Client and a Freelancer arising from an Order, both parties are strongly encouraged to first attempt to resolve the matter through direct, good-faith communication via the Platform’s messaging system.

10.2 SkillMine Africa Mediation

If a dispute cannot be resolved directly, either party may escalate the matter to SkillMine Africa’s Dispute Resolution team by contacting gigs@skillmine.africa or +233 591 447 845. Our team will review the evidence submitted by both parties and issue a fair and binding determination. The Dispute Resolution process may take up to fourteen (14) business days from the date of escalation.

SkillMine Africa’s determination in any dispute is final and binding on both parties. By using the Platform, both parties agree to accept and abide by the outcome of SkillMine Africa’s dispute resolution process.

10.3 Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and any disputes arising from them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ghana. Any legal proceedings not resolved through our internal dispute resolution process shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ghana.

10.4 Limitation on Claims

Any claim or cause of action arising from your use of the Platform must be brought within twelve (12) months of the event giving rise to the claim. Claims not brought within this period are permanently barred.

11. Limitation of Liability and Disclaimer

11.1 Platform Provided ‘As Is’

The SkillMine Africa Platform is provided on an ‘as is’ and ‘as available’ basis. We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding the Platform’s reliability, accuracy, availability, fitness for a particular purpose, or freedom from errors, bugs, or viruses.

11.2 No Guarantee of Earnings or Engagements

SkillMine Africa does not guarantee that Freelancers will secure any particular level of earnings, number of Orders, or ongoing work through the Platform. The Platform is a marketplace and outcomes depend on individual performance, market conditions, and Client preferences, all of which are beyond our control.

11.3 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, SkillMine Africa shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of data, loss of goodwill, or business interruption, arising from your use of or inability to use the Platform, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Our total liability to any User in connection with these Terms or the Platform shall not exceed the total Platform Fees paid by or received from that User in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to liability.

11.4 Third-Party Services

The Platform may include links to or integrations with third-party websites, payment processors, and services. SkillMine Africa is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, content, or practices of any third-party service. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and is governed by the terms and conditions of the respective third party.

12. Privacy and Data Protection

SkillMine Africa is committed to protecting your personal data. The collection, use, and storage of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference and is available on the Platform.

By using the Platform, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal data as described in our Privacy Policy, including the use of your data to facilitate transactions, improve Platform services, and communicate with you regarding your account and activities on the Platform.

We comply with applicable data protection laws, including the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) of Ghana. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

13. Account Suspension and Termination

13.1 Termination by User

You may close your account at any time by contacting us at gigs@skillmine.africa. Upon closure, any pending Orders must be completed or cancelled in accordance with these Terms before your account is deactivated. Any outstanding earnings owed to you will be disbursed after all pending matters are resolved.

13.2 Termination by SkillMine Africa

SkillMine Africa reserves the right to suspend or permanently terminate any account, with or without prior notice, in the event of:

Breach of these Terms or any applicable law or regulation;
Fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest conduct;
Conduct that poses a risk to the safety, integrity, or reputation of the Platform or its Users;
Failure to meet professional standards or Client satisfaction thresholds;
Any other conduct that SkillMine Africa, in its reasonable discretion, deems incompatible with the continued operation of a safe and trustworthy marketplace.

13.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to access and use the Platform ceases immediately. Any pending Orders at the time of termination shall be resolved in accordance with our policies. SkillMine Africa reserves the right to retain transaction records and relevant data for legal, regulatory, and dispute resolution purposes.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SkillMine Africa, its directors, officers, employees, agents, and partners from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to:

Your use of the Platform;
Your violation of these Terms;
Your violation of any applicable law or regulation;
Any Content you post, upload, or submit through the Platform;
Any dispute between you and another User of the Platform.

15. Modifications to the Platform and Terms

SkillMine Africa reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Platform at any time, with or without notice, and without liability to you. We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify registered Users by email or through a prominent notice on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform after such notification constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically. The most current version of the Terms will always be accessible on the Platform. The effective date of the current version is stated at the top of this document.

16. Force Majeure

SkillMine Africa shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance under these Terms to the extent that such failure or delay is caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest, government actions, internet or telecommunications failures, power outages, pandemics, or any other event of force majeure.

17. General Provisions

17.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies published on the Platform, constitute the entire agreement between you and SkillMine Africa with respect to your use of the Platform and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, or representations.

17.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable under applicable law, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed from the Terms if modification is not possible. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

17.3 No Waiver

Any failure by SkillMine Africa to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of our right to enforce that provision or any other provision in the future.

17.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. SkillMine Africa may freely assign its rights and obligations under these Terms, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

17.5 Language

These Terms are written in English. In the event of any conflict between an English version and a translated version of these Terms, the English version shall prevail.

18. Contact Information

For any queries, complaints, or legal notices relating to these Terms and Conditions, please contact us at:

SkillMine Africa

Tetteh Ashon Street, Achimota, Accra, Ghana

Tel: +233 591 447 845

Email: gigs@skillmine.africa

Website: www.skillmine.africa

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TERMS

By creating an account, accessing, or using the SkillMine Africa Platform in any manner, you acknowledge that you have read these Terms and Conditions in full, that you understand them, and that you agree to be legally bound by them. If you are using the Platform on behalf of a business or other legal entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.