Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions of Use (“Terms”) govern access to and use of the official website, public web pages, forms and other public digital channels operated by Bethel Microfinance Bank Limited (“Bethel MFB”, “the Bank”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

By accessing or using the website, you agree to comply with these Terms. If you do not agree with them, you should stop using the website. Where a particular service requires a separate agreement or specific acceptance, that separate agreement will govern the service to the extent of any inconsistency with these Terms.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits a right, remedy, duty or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable Nigerian law or regulation.

2. Legal and Regulatory Context

These Terms are intended to operate subject to the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and applicable regulatory requirements for financial institutions. Relevant frameworks may include, as applicable, the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2020, Central Bank of Nigeria requirements applicable to Microfinance Banks and consumer protection, the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, and the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023.

If any provision of these Terms conflicts with a mandatory law, court order or binding regulatory requirement, that mandatory requirement will prevail to the extent of the conflict.

3. Definitions

“Customer” means a person who holds or uses a Bethel MFB product or service.

“Digital Channel” means any website, web form, online portal, mobile-enabled service or other electronic channel made available by Bethel MFB.

“Product Terms” means the specific terms, application form, offer letter, account mandate, tariff, disclosure or agreement applicable to a particular banking product or service.

“User” or “you” means any person who accesses or uses the website or a public digital function.

“Website” means the official Bethel MFB website at https://bethelmfb.com and any official successor domain clearly published by the Bank.

4. Scope of These Terms

These Terms apply primarily to the public website and public-facing digital functions, including product information pages, contact forms, enquiry forms, online applications and other website features made available by the Bank.

They do not, by themselves, create the complete contractual terms for a loan, savings account, deposit, payment service or other financial product. Each financial product remains subject to the Product Terms issued or accepted for that product.

5. Eligibility and Capacity

You should use the website only if you have the legal capacity to do so. Where a service is intended for a minor or a person who requires a parent, guardian or other authorised representative, the relevant application and Product Terms will specify the required authorisation.

You must not submit information on behalf of another person unless you are lawfully authorised to do so.

6. Permitted Use of the Website

You may use the website for lawful purposes, including learning about Bethel MFB, reviewing information about products and services, contacting the Bank, submitting authorised enquiries or applications, and accessing other functions expressly made available by the Bank.

You must not:

or unreasonable risk.

• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website, bank systems, customer accounts or data;
• Interfere with the availability, security, integrity or performance of the website;
• Introduce malware, malicious code, automated attacks or harmful content;
• Use unauthorised scraping, harvesting or automated collection techniques;
• Impersonate another person, provide false identity information or misrepresent your authority;
• Use the website for fraud, money laundering, harassment, abuse or another unlawful activity;
• Bypass or attempt to defeat authentication, access-control or other security measures;
• Test, scan or probe bank systems for vulnerabilities without prior written authorisation;
• Use the website to infringe intellectual-property, privacy or other legal rights; or
• Use the website in a manner that may expose Bethel mfb, its customers or another person to unlawful

7. Product Information, Rates, Fees and Eligibility

Information about Bethel MFB products and services on the website is provided for general information and customer guidance. Product features, rates, fees, charges, eligibility criteria, tenors, security requirements, repayment terms and other conditions may vary by product and may change in accordance with applicable law, regulation and Bank policy.

Where the Bank is required to disclose a rate, fee, charge or other material product term, the applicable disclosure will be made through the relevant Product Terms, tariff, offer letter or other approved communication.

If information on a public page differs from a current, formally issued Product Term, the formally issued Product Term will govern the relevant product, subject to applicable consumer-protection requirements.

8. Loan and Credit Applications

Submission of a loan, salary advance, SME financing, agricultural financing or other credit enquiry or application through the website does not guarantee approval or create an obligation on Bethel MFB to extend credit.

Credit decisions may be subject to identity verification, KYC requirements, affordability and credit assessment, credit bureau checks where permitted, risk evaluation, documentation, collateral or guarantor requirements where applicable, regulatory obligations and final approval under the Bank’s credit process.

Where credit is approved, the applicable offer letter and Product Terms will state the amount, interest or pricing, fees, repayment obligations, default consequences and other binding terms.

9. Accuracy of Information You Provide

Information you submit to Bethel MFB should be complete, accurate and not misleading. You should promptly update information where a material change affects an application, account or service.

The Bank may request supporting documentation, carry out verification through lawful sources, or decline or suspend a request where information cannot be verified, appears inconsistent, or raises legal, regulatory, fraud or security concerns.

10. Electronic Communications and Records

Where permitted by law and the relevant Product Terms, Bethel MFB may communicate through electronic channels such as email, SMS, website notices or other approved digital methods. You are responsible for keeping the contact information you provide to the Bank current.

Electronic acknowledgements, application submissions, confirmations and records may be retained as evidence of a transaction, instruction or acceptance where permitted by applicable law and the relevant service terms.

Acceptance of these Website Terms is separate from consent to process personal data. Personal data will be processed on the lawful bases described in the Bethel MFB Privacy Policy.

11. Account, Credential and Device Security

Where a website or linked digital service requires authentication, you are responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect your credentials and devices. You should:

information;

activity.

Bethel MFB staff will not request your password, PIN, card PIN or OTP through unsolicited email, SMS, social media messages or telephone calls.

• Keep passwords, pins and other authentication credentials confidential;
• Never disclose a password, pin, card pin or one-time password (OTP) to another person;
• Use only official bethel MFB channels and verify the website address before entering sensitive
• Keep devices and software reasonably secure and up to date; and
• Notify the bank promptly if you suspect unauthorised access, credential compromise or fraudulent

12. Fraud, Phishing and Unauthorised Websites

Fraudsters may create false websites, social-media accounts or messages that imitate a financial institution.

Users should verify Bethel MFB communications and access the Bank only through official channels.

Bethel MFB may investigate suspected fraudulent or unauthorised use of its name, website, systems, brand or customer information and may cooperate with regulators, law-enforcement agencies and other authorised bodies where lawful and appropriate.

13. Third-Party Websites and Services

The website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms or services. A link does not necessarily mean that Bethel MFB endorses all content, products or practices of the third party.

Third-party websites and services are generally governed by their own terms, privacy notices and security practices. Bethel MFB is not responsible for the availability, content or independent processing activities of a third party except to the extent responsibility cannot lawfully be excluded or where the third party is acting on the Bank’s instructions as a service provider.

14. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, the Bethel MFB name, logo, website design, text, graphics, images, software, documents and other website materials are owned by or licensed to the Bank and are protected by applicable intellectual-property laws.

You may view or print reasonable extracts for personal, non-commercial and lawful use. You may not reproduce, alter, publish, distribute, sell, commercially exploit, frame or create derivative works from protected materials without prior written permission, except where permitted by law.

Nothing on the website grants a license to use the Bethel MFB name, trademarks, logos or branding in a way that suggests sponsorship, endorsement or affiliation without written authorisation.

15. Privacy and Cookies

Use of the website may involve the processing of personal data and the use of cookies or similar technologies. Personal data is handled in accordance with the Bethel MFB Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection law.

Non-essential cookies and similar technologies should be managed in accordance with the Bethel MFB Cookie Notice and the choices presented through the website’s cookie preference mechanism.

16. Website Availability, Maintenance and Changes

Bethel MFB aims to provide reliable website access but does not guarantee that the website will always be available, uninterrupted, secure from every possible threat, or free from errors.

The Bank may temporarily suspend, restrict or modify website functions for maintenance, upgrades, cybersecurity, fraud prevention, legal compliance, service improvement or operational reasons.

Where a website function is unavailable, customers should use an alternative official Bank channel where one is available.

17. Information Security and Responsible Vulnerability Reporting

Users must not exploit or publicly disclose a suspected vulnerability in a manner that could expose customer data, disrupt services or create security risk.

A person who believes they have identified a genuine security weakness should report it privately through an authorised security contact published by Bethel MFB and provide enough information for the Bank to assess the issue.

18. Disclaimers

The Bank takes reasonable steps to keep website information accurate and current. However, the public website may occasionally contain errors, incomplete information or content that has not yet reflected a recent operational or regulatory change.

General information on the website does not constitute personalized legal, tax, accounting or investment advice. Users should obtain appropriate professional advice where necessary.

Nothing in this section permits Bethel MFB to avoid a duty imposed by law, regulation, an applicable Product Term or a binding customer-protection requirement.

19. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Bethel MFB will not be liable for indirect, incidental or consequential loss arising solely from use of, or inability to access, the public website where the loss is not caused by a breach of a legal or contractual duty owed by the Bank.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for fraud, willful misconduct, gross negligence where liability cannot lawfully be excluded, breach of mandatory data-protection or consumer-protection obligations, or any other liability that the law does not permit the Bank to exclude or limit.

Responsibility for an unauthorised transaction, credential compromise, phishing incident or third-party scam will be determined by the facts, applicable law, regulatory requirements and the relevant Product Terms. These Terms do not automatically shift all such losses to the customer.

20. Indemnity for Unlawful Misuse

To the extent permitted by law, a user who intentionally or unlawfully misuses the website may be responsible for direct loss reasonably arising from that misuse.

This clause does not apply to lawful customer complaints, statutory rights, good-faith whistleblowing, and responsible vulnerability reporting or other activity protected by law.

21. Suspension, Restriction or Refusal of Access

Bethel MFB may suspend, restrict or refuse access to a website function where reasonably necessary to protect customers, prevent fraud or abuse, preserve service integrity, comply with law or regulation, respond to a security incident, or investigate suspicious activity.

Where a restriction affects a contractual banking service, the applicable Product Terms and mandatory customer-protection requirements will also apply.

22. Customer Complaints

If you have a complaint about a Bethel MFB product or service, you should first report the matter to the Bank through an approved complaint channel and provide enough information for the Bank to investigate.

If the Bank does not resolve the complaint within the applicable Central Bank of Nigeria timeframe, or if another right of escalation applies, the customer may escalate the complaint to the CBN Consumer Protection Department in accordance with the CBN complaints-management process.

Whistleblowing allegations involving suspected fraud, corruption, serious misconduct, concealment, retaliation or significant regulatory breach should be submitted through the Bank’s separate whistleblowing channel rather than ordinary customer-service channels.

23. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Where a dispute arises from use of the website or a related service, the parties should first attempt to resolve the matter through the Bank’s complaint or dispute-resolution process where appropriate.

If the matter is not resolved, it may be referred to an applicable regulator, mediation, arbitration under the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023 where arbitration has been validly agreed, or a court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in these Terms removes a customer’s right to use a mandatory regulatory or statutory complaint mechanism.

24. No Waiver

If Bethel MFB does not immediately enforce a provision of these Terms, that does not mean the Bank has permanently waived the provision or its right to enforce it later.

25. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, that provision will be interpreted or severed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.

26. Assignment and Third-Party Rights

You may not transfer rights or obligations arising under these Website Terms to another person without the Bank’s consent where such consent is legally required. Bethel MFB may transfer or reorganise its rights and obligations as part of a lawful corporate restructuring, regulatory direction or transfer of business, subject to applicable law and customer rights.

Unless expressly stated, a person who is not a party to an applicable agreement does not acquire contractual rights solely because they are mentioned in these Terms.

27. Changes to These Terms

Bethel MFB may update these Terms to reflect changes in law, regulation, technology, website functionality or business operations. The current version will be published on the official website with an updated effective date.

A change to these public Website Terms will not, by itself, amend a separate loan, account, savings or other banking contract where that contract or applicable law requires a different amendment process or customer notice.

28. Contact Us

Bethel Microfinance Bank Limited Suite B1, Elim Plaza No. 1 Ebeano Tunnel Crossing Road Off Ogui Road, Enugu Enugu State, Nigeria P.O. BOX 9558 Enugu Email: info@bethelmfb.com Telephone: +2348145815504 +2349137486970 Website: https://www.bethelmfb.com For security, customers should use only contact details published through verified Bethel MFB channels.