ABMIA INSTITUTE (SHIPPING & BUSINESS SCHOOL) – PRIVACY POLICY
Last Updated: 22/12/2025
1. INTRODUCTION
Abmia Institute ("we," "our," "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and safeguard your personal data when you interact with our institute, including when you visit our website [www.abmiainstitute.com], enrol in our courses, participate in our events, or engage with our services. This policy complies with applicable data protection laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023 and other relevant regulations that apply to our operations.
By using our services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these practices, please do not use our services or provide us with your personal information.
2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect personal information through various means to provide and improve our educational services. This includes:
A. INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE DIRECTLY:
Personal Identification Information:
Full name, date of birth, gender
Email address, phone number, residential address
Passport/ID details, nationality, photograph
Academic and Professional Information:
Educational background, qualifications, transcripts
Work experience, resume/CV, employment history
Current employer details and position
Professional certifications and licenses
Financial Information:
Payment details (processed securely via third-party gateways)
Billing address, transaction history
Scholarship or sponsorship information
Communication Information:
Correspondence records with our admissions and support teams
Feedback, complaints, and testimonials
Forum posts, chat messages, and discussion board contributions
B. INFORMATION COLLECTED AUTOMATICALLY:
Technical Information:
IP address, browser type and version
Device information (type, operating system, mobile network)
Cookies and tracking data (see Section 9)
Usage Information:
Pages visited, time spent on our platform
Course progress, completion rates, assessment scores
Login times, session duration, feature usage patterns
Referral source, marketing campaign responses
Learning Analytics:
Quiz and exam performance
Participation in online discussions and group projects
Assignment submission times and patterns
Course access frequency and duration
3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We use your personal information for legitimate business and educational purposes, including:
A. PRIMARY PURPOSES:
Course Delivery and Administration:
Processing your enrollment and registration
Managing your student account and profile
Delivering course materials and resources
Administering assessments and examinations
Recording and certifying course completion
Communication and Support:
Sending course updates, schedule changes, and announcements
Providing academic and technical support
Responding to inquiries and requests
Sending payment confirmations and receipts
Certification Processing:
Processing certification applications
Submitting information to external certification bodies
Issuing certificates and transcripts
Verifying qualifications for employers
B. SECONDARY PURPOSES:
Service Improvement:
Enhancing our curriculum and teaching methods
Improving website functionality and user experience
Developing new courses and programs
Conducting research and analysis
Marketing and Outreach:
Sending newsletters and promotional materials (with consent)
Announcing new courses, workshops, and events
Conducting alumni outreach and networking events
Sharing industry insights and career opportunities
Legal and Compliance:
Complying with regulatory requirements
Meeting accreditation standards
Addressing legal claims and disputes
Ensuring security and preventing fraud
4. LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING
We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds under applicable laws:
Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary for the performance of our educational services agreement with you.
Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary for compliance with legal and regulatory requirements applicable to educational institutions.
Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, including:
Improving our educational services
Preventing fraud and ensuring security
Conducting business operations efficiently
Marketing our services to interested parties
Consent: Where required by law, we obtain your explicit consent for specific processing activities, particularly for marketing communications and certain types of data collection. You may withdraw consent at any time.
5. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:
A. WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS:
Payment processors (Flutterwave, Paystack, etc.)
Learning Management System providers
Email and communication service providers
Cloud hosting and data storage providers
Marketing and analytics service providers
B. WITH CERTIFICATION BODIES:
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS)
International Maritime Organization (IMO) affiliated bodies
Other professional certification organizations
Accreditation and regulatory agencies
C. FOR LEGAL REASONS:
When required by law, regulation, or legal process
To protect our rights, property, or safety
To investigate fraud or security issues
To comply with government requests
D. WITH YOUR CONSENT:
For specific purposes where we obtain your explicit consent
For sharing with potential employers (with your authorization)
For publishing testimonials or success stories
All third parties with whom we share your information are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of your data and to use it only for the purposes for which it was disclosed.
6. DATA SECURITY MEASURES
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information:
Technical Safeguards:
Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
Secure socket layer (SSL) technology for website security
Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
Regular security updates and patches
Organizational Safeguards:
Restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
Employee training on data protection principles
Regular security audits and assessments
Incident response and breach notification procedures
Operational Safeguards:
Secure data center facilities
Regular data backups and disaster recovery plans
Physical security controls for our premises
Vendor security assessments
Despite our best efforts, no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.
7. DATA RETENTION PERIODS
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy:
Active Student Records: 7 years from course completion
Financial Records: 10 years for accounting and tax purposes
Certification Records: Indefinitely for verification purposes
Marketing Data: Until consent is withdrawn or 5 years of inactivity
Website Analytics: 26 months for usage analysis
Alumni Information: Indefinitely for networking and outreach
We regularly review our retention periods and delete or anonymize data that is no longer needed.
8. YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS
Under applicable data protection laws, you have the following rights:
Right to Access: Request copies of your personal information
Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances
Right to Restriction: Request limitation of processing of your data
Right to Object: Object to our processing of your personal data
Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another organization
Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
Right to Complain: Lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) or other relevant authority
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the details in Section 14.
9. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience:
Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality
Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site
Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
Marketing Cookies: Track effectiveness of advertising campaigns
You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect website functionality.
10. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
As an institute with global reach, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside Nigeria. When we transfer your data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:
Adequacy decisions by relevant authorities
Standard contractual clauses
Binding corporate rules
Your explicit consent where required
11. THIRD-PARTY LINKS
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including:
Professional bodies and certification organizations
Industry partners and employers
Social media platforms
Payment gateways
This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
12. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
Our services are designed for individuals aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we discover that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it promptly.
13. UPDATES TO THIS POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by:
Posting the updated policy on our website
Sending email notifications to current students
Updating the "Last Updated" date
We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we protect your information.
14. CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions, concerns, or to exercise your data protection rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Abmia Institute (Shipping & Business School)
Address: No. 05, Ogunnusi Road, Ojodu Berger, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
Phone: 08034480779, 08134157440
Email: [dpo@abmiainstitute.com] or [privacy@abmiainstitute.com]
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM WAT
We aim to respond to all inquiries within 7 business days. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).