Last updated: May 2026 · Gwanicore Technologies (RC 9516797) · Effective date: 1 May 2026
Key points: Gwani is a marketplace connecting customers and independent artisans. We hold payments in escrow and release them on confirmed completion. Gwani charges artisans a 10% platform fee. Customers have 24 hours to raise a dispute after a service. Off-platform payments are a Terms violation and will result in account termination.
Gwani is a two-sided digital marketplace operated by Gwanicore Technologies (RC 9516797), a company registered under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We connect customers with independently operating skilled artisans (hairdressers, makeup artists, plumbers, tailors, and other tradespeople) for the purpose of booking and delivering services.
These Terms of Service ("Terms") form a legally binding agreement between you and Gwanicore Technologies. By creating an account, downloading our app, or using any part of the Gwani platform, you agree to these Terms in full.
These Terms apply to both customers (people booking services) and artisans (people offering services). Where provisions differ, we will specify which party they apply to.
Our Cookie Policy at getgwani.com/cookies governs how we use cookies and tracking technologies.
Contact us: hello@getgwani.com
To use Gwani, you must:
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be legally capable of entering into binding contracts under Nigerian law.
• Not be prohibited from using the platform by any applicable law or prior account suspension.
• Provide accurate and complete registration information.
By using Gwani, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements. If you are using the platform on behalf of a business, you represent that you have authority to bind that business to these Terms.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. Do not share your password with anyone. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
You must notify us immediately at hello@getgwani.com if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts where we suspect fraudulent activity, identity misrepresentation, or repeated Terms violations.
You may not create multiple accounts for the same person. Duplicate accounts may be merged or deleted without notice.
Gwani is a marketplace, not an employer or staffing agency. Artisans on Gwani are independent contractors, not employees, agents, or partners of Gwanicore Technologies. Gwani does not supervise, direct, or control how artisans perform their services.
Our role is to:
• Provide the platform infrastructure (app, website, booking system, payment processing).
• Verify artisan identities to establish baseline trust.
• Hold payments in escrow and release them upon confirmed service completion.
• Facilitate communication between customers and artisans.
• Mediate disputes where both parties cannot reach agreement.
Gwani is not a party to the service agreement between a customer and an artisan. That agreement is formed when an artisan accepts a booking.
All artisans are required to complete identity verification before their profile becomes visible to customers. Verification is done via our partner Didit and requires submission of a government-issued ID (NIN or BVN).
A verified badge on a profile means we have confirmed the artisan's identity matches their government records. It does not constitute a guarantee of service quality, licensure, or professional certification.
Artisans who provide false identity information will be permanently banned from the platform and may be reported to relevant authorities.
Customers initiate bookings by selecting a service, choosing a date and time, and completing payment. A booking is not confirmed until:
(a) Payment is successfully processed by Paystack; and
(b) The artisan accepts the booking in their dashboard.
Artisans must respond to booking requests within 24 hours. Failure to respond may result in automatic decline and may affect the artisan's standing on the platform.
Once a booking is confirmed, both parties are bound to the agreed service, date, time, and location.
Open bookings (where offered): Some artisans offer "open booking" services where customers choose a date without a specific time. The artisan and customer coordinate the precise time after the booking is confirmed.
All payments are processed in Nigerian Naira (NGN) via Paystack, our PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant payment processor. Gwani never stores your card details.
Deposit payment: When booking, customers pay the service fee upfront as a deposit. This payment is held in escrow by Gwani and is not released to the artisan until the service is completed and confirmed.
Platform fee: Gwani charges artisans a 10% platform fee on each completed booking. This is deducted before payout. For example, on a ₦10,000 booking, the artisan receives ₦9,000.
Transport cost: If an artisan offers home visits with per-state transport pricing, this transport cost is added to the service fee at checkout and forms part of the deposit payment.
Payouts: Artisan earnings are transferred to their registered bank account. With automatic payouts enabled (the default), funds are disbursed within one business day of booking completion. Manual payout requests are processed within 5 business days.
Gwani does not charge customers any service fee beyond the listed service price and applicable transport cost.
To prevent fraudulent completion claims, Gwani uses a 6-digit completion code system:
• When a booking is confirmed, the customer receives a unique 6-digit completion code by email and in their Gwani bookings page.
• At the end of the service, the artisan requests this code from the customer.
• The customer provides the code to confirm they are satisfied with the service.
• The artisan enters the code in their Gwani app to mark the job complete.
• This triggers payment release to the artisan.
Customers should only share the completion code when genuinely satisfied with the service. Sharing the code prematurely waives your right to raise a dispute about service quality.
If an artisan claims a service is complete without the code, customers can report this through our dispute process.
Artisans may offer home visit services where they travel to the customer's location. Where an artisan has set per-state transport pricing, the transport cost for the customer's selected state is added to the total at checkout.
Transport costs are set by artisans independently and reflect their travel costs. Gwani does not set or regulate transport pricing.
Customers who book a home service must provide an accurate address. Providing a false address that leads to unnecessary artisan travel may result in the booking being cancelled without refund.
Artisans who accept a home service booking are obligated to travel to the provided address. If the customer's address is in a location outside what the artisan covers, the artisan should decline the booking.
Cancellations by customers:
• More than 24 hours before the scheduled booking: Full refund to the original payment method within 5–10 business days.
• Within 24 hours of the scheduled booking: 50% refund. The remaining 50% is paid to the artisan as a cancellation fee to compensate for reserved time.
• No-show by customer (artisan arrives, customer not available): No refund. Full payment released to artisan.
Cancellations by artisans:
• If an artisan cancels after confirmation: Full refund to the customer. A cancellation penalty may be applied to the artisan's account.
• Repeated artisan cancellations may result in reduced visibility or account suspension.
Disputed cancellations: If either party disputes the cancellation circumstances, Gwani will review available evidence and issue a determination within 5 business days.
If you experience a problem with a service (artisan no-show, incomplete service, safety concern, or service significantly not as described), you may file a dispute through the Gwani app within 24 hours of the scheduled service completion time.
Dispute process:
1. Customer opens a dispute via the app within 24 hours of the service time.
2. Gwani notifies the artisan and requests their response within 48 hours.
3. Gwani reviews evidence submitted by both parties (photos, messages, booking details).
4. Gwani issues a decision within 5 business days.
5. Decisions may include a full refund, partial refund, or release of payment to the artisan.
Gwani's dispute decisions are final for amounts below ₦500,000. For larger amounts, parties may seek resolution through Nigerian courts.
Filing a chargeback with your bank without first going through Gwani's dispute process may result in account suspension.
By offering services on Gwani, artisans agree to:
• Provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date profile information.
• Complete identity verification before their profile is activated.
• Honour all confirmed bookings. Last-minute cancellations harm customers and damage platform trust.
• Arrive on time and at the agreed location.
• Deliver the service as described in their listing, at the quality implied by their portfolio and reviews.
• Maintain professional and respectful conduct at all times.
• Only share the Gwani app download link for customer communication, never ask customers to pay outside the Gwani platform.
• Keep their availability and pricing accurate to avoid misleading customers.
• Respond to booking requests within 24 hours.
By booking services on Gwani, customers agree to:
• Provide accurate booking information including address (for home visits), time preferences, and any relevant notes.
• Be present and available at the agreed time and location.
• Give the artisan reasonable access to carry out the service.
• Only share the completion code after the service has been satisfactorily completed.
• Treat artisans with respect. Abusive behaviour towards artisans will result in account suspension.
• Use the Gwani dispute process, not chargebacks, for service issues.
The following are strictly prohibited on the Gwani platform:
• Creating fake or misleading profiles.
• Submitting false or malicious reviews.
• Circumventing the Gwani payment system, arranging direct cash or bank transfer payments with artisans to avoid platform fees is a violation of these Terms and will result in immediate account termination.
• Harassing, threatening, or abusing other users.
• Using the platform for any unlawful purpose.
• Attempting to access another user's account without authorisation.
• Manipulating search rankings or ratings through fraudulent means.
• Offering or requesting services that are illegal under Nigerian law.
• Uploading content that infringes the intellectual property rights of others.
Gwani content: All platform design, code, branding, logos, and text created by Gwanicore Technologies are our intellectual property and may not be reproduced without written permission.
User-uploaded content: When you upload photos, write a bio, or post a review on Gwani, you retain ownership of that content. However, you grant Gwanicore Technologies a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to display, reproduce, and use that content for the purpose of operating and promoting the Gwani platform.
You represent that any content you upload is your own, does not infringe any third party's rights, and complies with these Terms.
We reserve the right to remove content that violates these Terms or is reported as harmful, without notice.
Gwani provides the platform on an "as is" basis. We do not guarantee:
• The availability, quality, or safety of any artisan's services.
• That artisans hold any specific professional licences or certifications (unless explicitly stated on a verified profile).
• Uninterrupted or error-free access to the platform.
To the maximum extent permitted by Nigerian law, Gwanicore Technologies' total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the platform is limited to the amount you paid for the specific booking to which the claim relates.
We are not liable for indirect, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages, including loss of profit, loss of data, or loss of business opportunity.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for fraud, death, or personal injury caused by our negligence.
We may suspend or terminate your account if you:
• Violate any provision of these Terms.
• Provide false information during registration or verification.
• Engage in behaviour that is harmful to other users or the platform.
• Fail to respond to legitimate disputes or investigation requests.
• Are the subject of a valid court order requiring us to take action.
We will generally give notice before suspension unless immediate action is necessary for safety or fraud prevention.
You may delete your account at any time through the app settings. Upon account deletion, your personal data will be purged within 30 days (except data we are legally required to retain).
We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or via an in-app notification at least 14 days before the changes take effect.
Continued use of Gwani after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you should stop using Gwani and delete your account.
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Gwani platform that cannot be resolved through our internal dispute process shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Lagos State, Nigeria.
We encourage resolving disputes amicably first. Contact us at hello@getgwani.com before initiating legal proceedings.
For questions about these Terms:
Email: hello@getgwani.com
Legal matters: legal@getgwani.com
Gwanicore Technologies
Lagos, Nigeria
RC 9516797