Draft for legal review. Written to match how CityFarms actually operates. Not reviewed by a lawyer. Section 6 in particular — how escrowed money is held — has regulatory consequences and should be checked by counsel before launch.
1. About these terms
These terms govern your use of cityfarms.ng and any CityFarms application. The platform is operated by CityFarms Agritech Investments Limited (RC 1749535), a private company limited by shares incorporated in Nigeria ("CityFarms", "we", "us").
By creating an account or placing an order you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the platform.
Our Privacy Policy forms part of these terms.
2. What CityFarms is — and is not
CityFarms is a marketplace. We connect farmers, market traders and other agricultural sellers with buyers, and we provide the tools that make those transactions safer: verification, escrow, geo-tagging and logistics coordination.
The contract of sale is between the buyer and the seller, not with us. We are not the seller of produce listed on the platform. We do not grow, own, handle or inspect the goods before dispatch. Where we describe a seller as "verified", that refers to identity and cooperative or market-level checks — it is not a warranty of the quality of any particular item.
This does not remove our own obligations to you: we are responsible for operating the platform properly, for the escrow and dispute process described below, and for our own conduct.
3. Who can use CityFarms
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You must give accurate registration details and keep them current.
- You must verify your phone number by entering the code we send you.
- Businesses registering must be authorised to act for that business.
- One person or business, one account, unless we agree otherwise in writing.
4. Your account
You are responsible for keeping your password confidential and for activity under your account. Tell us promptly at support@cityfarms.ng if you think someone else has access.
We may suspend or close an account that breaches these terms, that we reasonably believe is being used fraudulently, or where a seller repeatedly fails to fulfil orders. Where we can, we will tell you why and give you a chance to respond first.
5. Buying on CityFarms
- You place an order and pay. Your payment is held in escrow — it does not reach the seller yet.
- The seller confirms and prepares your order.
- A logistics partner collects and delivers it.
- You confirm delivery, or the confirmation window passes.
- Funds are released to the seller.
Prices are in Nigerian Naira and include the seller's price. Delivery fees and our service fee are shown separately before you pay.
Agricultural produce varies. Weights are approximate and appearance differs between harvests. A minor variation is not a defect. Produce that is spoiled, substantially short of the stated weight, or materially different from the listing is a defect — see section 9.
6. Escrow and payments
Payments are processed by Paystack Payments Limited, a payment service provider licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Card and bank details are entered with Paystack and never reach our servers.
Funds are held by Paystack, not by CityFarms. Under Central Bank of Nigeria rules, holding customer funds requires a licence that CityFarms does not hold. "Escrow" on this platform means your money sits with Paystack, the regulated payment provider, and is released to the seller when the conditions below are met. We instruct the release; we never hold your money ourselves.
Funds are released to the seller when:
- you confirm delivery; or
- 48 hours pass after delivery is recorded without you raising a dispute; or
- a dispute is resolved in the seller's favour.
If an order is cancelled before dispatch, or a dispute is resolved in your favour, funds are returned to your original payment method. Refunds normally arrive within 2 to 3 business days, depending on your bank.
7. Selling on CityFarms
If you list produce, you agree that:
- You have the right to sell what you list, and it is accurately described — including variety, weight, grade and origin.
- Your stated farm or stall location is genuine. Misrepresenting origin undermines the traceability the whole platform rests on, and is grounds for immediate removal.
- You will honour confirmed orders, or cancel promptly if you cannot.
- Produce is fit for human consumption where sold as such, and handled hygienically.
- You hold any licence or permit your goods require.
- You will meet applicable food safety and agricultural standards, including NAFDAC requirements for processed foods.
We charge a service fee on completed transactions, deducted at the point funds are released. Current rates are shown in your seller dashboard. We will give you at least 30 days notice before changing them.
8. What may not be listed
- Anything illegal to sell in Nigeria
- Bushmeat, protected or endangered species, and products derived from them
- Banned or restricted agrochemicals, and any pesticide not registered with NAFDAC
- Counterfeit inputs — fake seed, fertiliser or veterinary products
- Live animals, unless we have agreed the category in writing and applicable veterinary rules are met
- Produce knowingly harvested inside a pesticide pre-harvest interval
- Anything you do not actually have available to sell
We may remove listings without notice and suspend repeat offenders.
9. Disputes
Raise a problem within 24 hours of delivery — with fresh produce, evidence deteriorates quickly, so speed matters.
- Report it through your order page with photographs where relevant.
- Escrowed funds are frozen while we look at it.
- We ask both sides for their account.
- We decide on the evidence and release or refund accordingly, normally within 3 business days.
Our decision on releasing escrowed funds is final as between us. It does not affect your statutory rights, including your rights under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, or your right to take the matter to court.
10. Delivery
Delivery is carried out by independent logistics partners. Delivery windows are estimates. Nigerian road conditions, weather and market days affect timing, and we cannot guarantee an exact hour.
Someone must be available to receive perishable goods. If delivery fails because no one was available, the delivery fee is not refundable and the produce may not be redeliverable.
11. Content you post
You keep ownership of your listings, photographs and reviews, and you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display and promote them in connection with the platform.
Do not post anything false, defamatory, or that infringes someone else's rights. Reviews must reflect genuine experience — we remove fake reviews, whether flattering or damaging.
12. Our intellectual property
The CityFarms name, logo, site design, and software are ours and protected by law. You may use the platform as intended; you may not copy, scrape, reverse-engineer or resell it without our written permission.
13. Liability
Nothing here limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud, or for anything that cannot lawfully be limited under Nigerian law — including your rights under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.
Subject to that, we are not liable for the acts or omissions of sellers or logistics partners, for loss of profit or business opportunity, or for produce spoiling after delivery has been completed. Our total liability for any order is limited to the value of that order plus any fees you paid us on it.
The platform is provided as it stands. We work to keep it available but do not guarantee uninterrupted service.
14. Closing your account
You may close your account at any time from your dashboard or by writing to us. Open orders and escrowed funds must be resolved first. We may suspend or close accounts as described in section 4.
15. Changes
We may update these terms. For material changes we will give at least 14 days notice by email or on-site notice. Continuing to use CityFarms after that means you accept the revised terms.
16. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Disputes between you and CityFarms are subject to the jurisdiction of the Nigerian courts, and we suggest Lagos State as the venue.
This does not prevent you from complaining to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, or to any other regulator with jurisdiction.
17. Contact
CityFarms Agritech Investments Limited
RC 1749535
43b, Oduduwa Crescent, Ikeja GRA
Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
support@cityfarms.ng