1. Definitions
In these Terms:
- "AuntyNow", "we", "us" or "our" means the operator of the AuntyNow platform.
- "Parent" means a registered user who requests childcare services for a child or children.
- "Caregiver" means an independent childcare provider registered on the platform.
- "Booking" means a confirmed childcare engagement created through the platform.
- "Service" means the platform, website, APIs and related support.
2. About AuntyNow
AuntyNow provides a marketplace, identity-review tools, booking records, payment-ledger functions and support routes. Caregivers provide the care. Calling a caregiver independent does not override an employment relationship or duty that the law may establish.
AuntyNow is not an emergency service or medical provider. No insurance, professional qualification, immediate availability or care outcome is promised unless separately confirmed in writing. The platform remains responsible for its own obligations under applicable law.
3. Eligibility and accounts
To use AuntyNow you must:
- Be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering a contract;
- Provide accurate, complete and current information;
- Maintain the security of your password and account credentials; and
- Have the legal authority to arrange care for any child included in a booking.
You may not share your account, impersonate another person, create multiple accounts to evade review, or attempt to access another user's records. You must notify us immediately of unauthorised account use.
4. Verification
New Parent accounts must submit identity information, address proof, emergency contact details and household safety disclosures. Parent approval requires a successful NIN match and administrative review.
New Caregiver accounts must submit a profile, identity information, next-of-kin details and payout account information. Caregivers cannot become available or receive assignments until an administrator approves them and Youverify has matched their NIN and BVN to their legal name and date of birth.
A verification badge indicates that the submitted record passed our review workflow. It does not guarantee character, continuous suitability, a criminal-record check or medical fitness unless AuntyNow separately confirms that check in writing.
5. Booking flow
Submitting a request does not confirm care or hold your money. Review the care address, schedule, child count/ages, necessary notes and any preferred caregiver. New short-stay requests go through staff review, a caregiver offer, caregiver acceptance and your review of the current itemised proposal. Care is confirmed only after you accept that proposal and its full amount is successfully held from your wallet. Check for the Confirmed status; an enquiry, review, offer or provisional acceptance is not confirmation.
- Non-overnight short stays: 2–12 whole hours, with at least 24 hours’ notice for scheduled care.
- Overnight or extended plans: at least 48 hours’ notice.
- Multi-day and recurring plans: at least 72 hours’ notice. Overnight, extended, multi-day and recurring plans are currently enquiries only: the app cannot confirm or fund them.
- Short-notice requests: the app’s “emergency request” option is limited to eligible non-overnight short stays at your verified home, at least 4 hours but less than 24 hours ahead, and only while review coverage is enabled for your area. It is not an emergency-response service or a guarantee of care.
Care times use West Africa Time (Africa/Lagos). Offers and proposals have expiry times and the final confirmation deadline is 2 hours before the proposed start. If a proposal expires or no confirmation is received, no care is secured. Staff cannot turn a scheduled request into a premium-priced emergency request merely because review took time.
The assigned caregiver records journey, arrival, care-start and completion states. Keep the other party informed of delays and contact support if a recorded status is incorrect. Existing bookings remain subject to their agreed prices and terms; this transition does not silently reprice them. Use the cancellation and refund policy if care cannot proceed.
6. Scope of care and prohibited services
The Caregiver's obligations are limited to the childcare services described in the confirmed booking, which may include supervision, feeding, hygiene assistance, play, bedtime routines and other ordinary childcare tasks appropriate to the children's ages and needs.
An ordinary childcare booking does not authorise the following professional or unrelated services:
- Medical, nursing, physiotherapy, psychological or therapeutic services;
- Special-needs care requiring professional certification or training;
- Tutoring, teaching or educational instruction beyond casual play-based learning;
- Driving or transporting children in any vehicle;
- Household repairs, electrical work, plumbing, cleaning unrelated to the children, or pet care unrelated to the children;
- Financial, legal or estate-management services;
- Any task that requires a professional licence, registration or insurance that the Caregiver does not hold; or
- Any service that the Caregiver reasonably believes is unsafe, unlawful or outside their competence.
7. Requests outside the agreed scope
A caregiver may decline an unsafe or off-scope request without penalty solely for that refusal. Parents must not pressure caregivers into additional tasks. A verbal promise or cash side payment does not update the booking or create insurance coverage.
Responsibility for an incident depends on the facts and applicable law. An off-scope request does not automatically transfer every loss to the parent or excuse another party’s negligence. Contact hello@auntynow.com before changing the arrangement and read the Scope of Care.
8. Pricing and payment
Prices are in Nigerian naira (NGN). A short-stay proposal includes the caregiver’s hourly rate × booked hours, a ₦750 service fee, and any separately itemised short-notice premium and transport charge. The caregiver share of a premium is part of that premium, not another charge on top. An initial estimate is not the final accepted price. Review the caregiver, duties, current quote version, total and expiry before confirming. An ordinary booking or recurring-care enquiry does not start a subscription.
Parents top up through Paystack. A new request does not move wallet funds. Accepting and funding the reviewed proposal moves its full total from your available wallet ledger into a booking hold, called “escrow” in the app. This is an in-platform accounting hold, not a representation of a licensed escrow trust, bank deposit or deposit insurance. A changed or expired proposal must be reviewed again; long-stay enquiries cannot be funded here.
On recorded completion, the system credits the care value, agreed caregiver premium share and transport amount to the caregiver’s earnings wallet, less any recorded late-arrival credit. The service fee and platform premium share remain with the platform. Release is not an automatic bank payout. Contact hello@auntynow.com about payouts or errors. Payments, Cancellations & Refunds explains the available remedies.
9. Cancellation and no-shows
A parent may cancel an unconfirmed request or enquiry, a legacy matching request, or a confirmed booking before arrival, including while the caregiver is en route. Unconfirmed new requests have no booking hold to refund. Any held amount is returned in full to the available wallet, including the service fee, premium and transport charge. After arrival, in-app cancellation is unavailable and support review is needed. No-show and interrupted-care cases also need review; the app has no automatic no-show refund timer.
Repeated cancellation or account restriction does not automatically forfeit a balance. Wallet credit is different from a refund to the original payment method and cannot replace a remedy required by law. See Payments & Refunds.
10. Conduct and safety
The following are strictly prohibited on or through the platform:
- Neglect, abuse, violence, harassment, discrimination or intimidation of any person;
- Being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or impairing medication while providing or receiving care;
- Secret recording, unauthorised photography or invasion of privacy;
- Bringing weapons, dangerous items or unauthorised visitors to a care location;
- Soliciting or arranging bookings off-platform to evade fees, escrow or safety controls;
- Providing false information or documents;
- Any unlawful activity.
Parents must provide a safe, clean and accurate care environment and truthful information about the children. Caregivers must accept only work they can perform safely and must follow reasonable Parent instructions that are within the agreed scope of care.
11. Emergencies
AuntyNow is not an emergency service. In any situation involving immediate danger, injury, medical emergency or crime, the Parent, Caregiver or another adult present must contact the appropriate emergency services first. In Nigeria, dial 112 or the relevant local emergency number.
After the emergency has been addressed, users should notify AuntyNow at hello@auntynow.com so we can record the incident and provide support.
12. Ratings and reviews
After a completed booking, Parents may rate Caregivers. Reviews must be honest, factual and not defamatory, abusive, discriminatory or false. We may remove reviews that violate these rules or that are unrelated to a genuine booking. Ratings are part of a Caregiver's public profile and affect matching.
13. Intellectual property
The AuntyNow name, logo, software, text, designs and other platform content are owned by AuntyNow or its licensors. You may not copy, modify, distribute or create derivative works without our prior written consent, except as necessary for your ordinary use of the service.
14. Limitation of liability
Each party remains responsible for their own acts and omissions as determined by law. AuntyNow does not exclude responsibility for its own negligence, fraud, misrepresentation, defective performance or any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. No blanket booking-fee liability cap applies under this draft.
Nothing in these terms limits non-excludable consumer rights. Read the FCCPC consumer-rights guidance.
15. Indemnity
These terms do not impose a blanket consumer indemnity. A claim for loss or compensation must be supported by the facts and applicable law; a general obligation to use the service responsibly does not waive your statutory remedies.
16. Termination and suspension
Access may be restricted for a credible safety concern, fraud, a serious breach or a legal requirement. Where safe and lawful, the reason should be explained and you may request review through the complaints process. An urgent protective restriction need not wait for a final investigation.
Account closure is a support-assisted request, not an instant self-service action. Open care, balances, disputes and lawful record retention need to be addressed. Restriction or closure does not automatically forfeit money owed to you or prevent a lawful complaint. See Privacy Requests & Account Deletion.
17. Dispute resolution and governing law
Nigerian law applies, subject to any mandatory protections applicable to you. Contact hello@auntynow.com or follow Complaints & Dispute Resolution.
Mediation may be agreed voluntarily. These terms do not impose mandatory arbitration, require a Lagos-only forum, or remove access to the FCCPC, NDPC, law enforcement or a competent court.
18. Changes to these terms
The version and date above identify this draft. Material changes should be brought to your attention before a new transaction. They do not silently rewrite existing bookings or waive accrued rights. Continued browsing is not consent to a new optional data-processing purpose. Where separable, an invalid provision does not invalidate the remainder or displace mandatory law.
19. Contact
For questions, disputes or legal notices, contact hello@auntynow.com or privacy@auntynow.com for data protection matters.