AkomaSMS ("we", "us") runs a bulk SMS and one-time password (OTP) platform for businesses in Ghana. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, who we share it with and what rights you have. It applies to our website, dashboard and API.
Two groups of people are involved. Our customers hold an account with us. Their recipients receive the messages our customers send. For customer account data, we decide how the data is used. For recipient data, our customer decides who is messaged and what is said, and we process that data on the customer's instructions. We handle personal data in line with the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843).
1. Information we collect about customers
- Account details: name, email address, phone number and business name. If a partner app such as Akoma POS set up your account, we receive these details from that app.
- The date you accepted our Terms of Service and this Privacy Policy.
- Login and security data: a hashed password, two-factor authentication settings, and the IP address and browser used to sign in.
- Team details: the names and email addresses of colleagues you invite to your account.
- Billing records: payments, credit purchases, refunds and wallet transactions.
- API keys, stored as hashes so that even we cannot read them back.
- Sender ID applications and the business information you give to support them.
- Activity logs: actions taken in the dashboard and through the API.
- Anything you send us when you contact support.
2. Information we process about recipients
- Phone numbers, and any names or groups a customer saves in their contact list.
- Message content, message templates and scheduled campaigns.
- Delivery status reports returned by the networks.
- One-time passwords sent through our OTP service. These are stored encrypted and expire after a short time.
We do not sell recipient data, and we never use it to market our own services to recipients.
3. How we use information
- To deliver messages and run the service you signed up for.
- To confirm your phone number, by texting you a one-time code.
- To process payments, keep your credit balance and issue refunds.
- To review sender ID applications and keep the networks' registration requirements.
- To screen outgoing messages for fraud, as described below.
- To secure accounts, investigate abuse and keep an audit trail.
- To send you service emails such as receipts, low-balance alerts and security notices.
- To answer support requests and meet our legal obligations.
4. Fraud screening of message content
Every outgoing message is checked automatically for signs of fraud, such as requests for PINs or one-time codes, or impersonation of a bank or network. A message that looks suspicious may be held for a member of our team to read, or refused. We do this to protect recipients and to meet the rules of the mobile networks that carry our traffic. Staff only read message content when screening, support or a legal request requires it.
5. Who we share information with
- Arkesel, the licensed SMS gateway we use to send messages. Arkesel receives the recipient's number, the sender ID and the message text so that it can pass the message to the recipient's network.
- Mobile network operators (such as MTN, Telecel and AirtelTigo), which deliver the message to the recipient's phone.
- Paystack, which processes card and mobile money payments. We never see or store your full card details or mobile money PIN.
- Our hosting, database backup and email delivery providers, who run parts of the service for us.
- Endpoints you configure yourself, such as webhook URLs that receive your delivery reports.
- Regulators, the police or a court, when the law requires us to.
Each of these parties receives only what it needs to do its job.
6. Transfers outside Ghana
Some of our providers may store or process data outside Ghana. When that happens we use providers that apply appropriate safeguards to protect it.
7. How long we keep information
- Account data and message history: for as long as your account is open, so you can see your sending history.
- Audit logs: six months.
- Webhook delivery logs: 30 days.
- One-time passwords: they expire minutes after they are issued and cannot be used again.
- Payment and billing records: as long as Ghana's tax and accounting laws require.
- Encrypted backups: up to six months on a rolling schedule.
When an account is closed we delete or anonymise its data, except records we must keep by law. Anonymised totals may remain in our reporting.
8. Security
All traffic is encrypted in transit. Passwords and API keys are hashed. Webhook secrets and one-time passwords are encrypted at rest. Access to production data is limited to staff who need it, and administrator actions are recorded in an audit log. If a breach puts your data at risk, we will tell you and the Data Protection Commission as the law requires.
9. Your rights
Under the Data Protection Act, 2012 you may:
- ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
- ask us to correct data that is wrong or incomplete;
- ask us to delete your data, where we no longer need to keep it;
- object to how we use your data;
- complain to the Data Protection Commission of Ghana.
If you received a message through AkomaSMS and want it to stop, contact us with your phone number and the sender's name. We will pass the request to the sender and record the opt-out. Because our customers control their own recipient lists, requests about that data may also be sent directly to the business that messaged you.
10. Cookies
We use only the cookies needed to keep you signed in and protect forms from abuse. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking.
11. Children
AkomaSMS is a service for businesses and is not meant for anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect data from children for our own purposes.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of the page shows when it last changed. If a change is significant we will email account holders before it takes effect.
13. Contact us
For any question about this policy or your data:
- Email: akomasms@gmail.com
- WhatsApp (messages only, no calls): 0502742556