Privacy Policy — LéO Africa Institute

Last updated: June 2026

LéO Africa Institute ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you visit our website at leoafricainstitute.org, interact with our services, apply to our fellowship programs, register for events, or make financial contributions.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including but not limited to:

Identity Information: Full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, and country of residence.
Contact Information: Email address (personal and work), phone number, and mailing address.
Professional Information: Organisation, job title, sector, years of experience, and LinkedIn profile.
Application Data: Responses to fellowship application questions, essays, motivation statements, and referees' details.
Payment Information: When you make a contribution or payment, our payment processor (Flutterwave) collects your card details. We do not store card numbers on our servers.
Communication Data: Messages sent through contact forms, email correspondence, and newsletter subscription preferences.
Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, and cookies used to improve website functionality.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To process and evaluate fellowship applications.
To communicate with applicants, fellows, and alumni about program activities.
To process donations and financial contributions.
To send newsletters, event invitations, and institutional updates (with your consent).
To register participants for events and seminars.
To improve our website, services, and user experience.
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

3. How We Store and Protect Your Information

Your personal data is stored on secure servers with access restricted to authorised personnel only. We implement industry-standard security measures including:

SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers.
Encrypted database storage for sensitive personal information.
Access controls and authentication for administrative systems.
Regular security reviews and updates.

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Fellowship application data is retained for the duration of the programme cycle plus three (3) years for alumni records.

4. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

Payment Processors: Flutterwave processes payments on our behalf and is bound by their own privacy policy and PCI-DSS compliance.
Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our users, subject to confidentiality agreements.
Legal Requirements: When required by law, regulation, or legal process.

5. Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time.
Unsubscribe from newsletters using the link provided in every email.

6. Cookies

Our website uses essential cookies to ensure proper functionality, including session management and security tokens. We do not use third-party advertising or tracking cookies.

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at:

LéO Africa Institute
Email: info@leoafricainstitute.org
Website: Contact Page