Privacy policy
Akente helps people buy, rent, and sell property in Ethiopia. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the choices you have.
Information we collect
- Contact details you give us: your name and phone or WhatsApp number when you contact Akente about a listing, request a video tour, ask us to find you a broker, or post a property.
- Your request details: what you are looking for or selling, such as property type, neighborhood, budget or expected price, timing, how you plan to pay, preferred language, and any message you write.
- Property listings: the details, photos, videos, video links, and map location you add when you post a property, plus the access code and agreement status provided by our manager.
- Location, only when you choose: if you tap "Use my current location" while posting a property, we use your device location to pin that property. We do not track your location otherwise.
- Settings on your device: your language, currency, saved homes, and saved searches are stored on your own device so the app remembers them.
How we use it
- To publish and verify property listings, including visits by our team to check ownership documents.
- To connect you with the right agent or listing owner. Akente does not give buyers, renters, or sellers an agent's direct contact details; we pass your request to the agent instead.
- To calculate the Akente Estimate and neighborhood prices, using listing and sale information.
- To contact you about your request, your listing, or problems with your account.
- To prevent fraud and keep fake listings off Akente.
Who we share it with
- Agents, with your permission: when you send a request and agree to share your details, we share them with up to 3 verified agents who cover your area, or with the agent for the listing you asked about. Agents pay Akente to receive these requests.
- Service providers: companies that host and run Akente for us, such as Amazon Web Services for hosting and Google Maps for maps. When you view a map, Google's privacy policy also applies.
- When the law requires it: if we must share information to comply with Ethiopian law or a valid legal request, or to protect people from fraud or harm.
We never sell your personal information, and we do not use advertising trackers.
How long we keep it
We keep request and listing information while it is needed to provide the service. Requests from buyers, renters, and sellers are deleted or made anonymous 12 months after they are sent, unless you ask us to delete them sooner. Final sale and rental prices may be kept without names to calculate the Akente Estimate.
Your choices
- You can ask us to show, correct, or delete your personal information, or to stop sharing your request with agents.
- You can clear saved homes and settings by clearing the app's data or your browser's site data.
- You can turn off location access for Akente in your phone settings at any time.
Security
We protect information with encrypted connections (HTTPS) and limit access to the people who need it to run Akente. No system is perfectly secure, so please don't send ID numbers or bank details through Akente.
Children
Akente is for adults. It is not meant for anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect children's information.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top of this page and, for important changes, tell users in the app.
Contact us
For privacy questions or requests, contact Akente's local manager at +251 916 778 764 or email afrokente@gmail.com.