Prohibited Items Policy
1. Purpose
To ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and maintain customer safety, we have developed this policy to set out the categories of items that are prohibited from being listed, sold, purchased or delivered on the Chowdeck platform across all verticals. It applies to all customers, vendors, riders, and service partners onboarded on Chowdeck.
2. General Prohibited Items
The following are prohibited across ALL verticals, regardless of category:
1. Illegal drugs and controlled substances
- Narcotics and illicit drugs
- Cannabis/marijuana products (except where expressly authorized by law)
- Cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and similar substances
- Unauthorized prescription medications
- Counterfeit medicines
- Any substance prohibited by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
2. Prescription-Only Medicines
Except where specifically authorized by the platform and applicable regulations:
- Prescription-only medications without a valid prescription
- Controlled pharmaceutical products
- Veterinary prescription drugs requiring authorization
3. Weapons and Dangerous Items of any kind
- Firearms and firearm components
- Ammunition
- Explosives and fireworks
- Tasers and stun guns
- Pepper spray and similar self-defense weapons
- Military-grade equipment
- Knives, machetes, and other dangerous weapons not intended for ordinary household use
4. Hazardous Materials
Except household cleaning chemicals in standard retail packaging (e.g., bleach, detergents):
- Toxic chemicals
- Corrosive substances
- Industrial chemicals requiring special handling
- Radioactive materials
- Biohazardous materials
- Flammable liquids and gases
- Hazardous waste
5. Counterfeit and illegal goods
- Counterfeit branded products
- Pirated software, movies, music, or publications
- Stolen goods
- Products that infringe intellectual property rights
- Smuggled goods
6. Human and Animal-related prohibited items
- Human organs, tissues, or body parts
- Blood or blood products
- Live animals (except where expressly approved by the platform)
- Endangered species or wildlife products
- Ivory, animal trophies, or products prohibited by wildlife laws
7. Adult and Obscene Materials
- Pornographic content
- Sexually explicit materials
- Obscene publications or media
- Adult products prohibited by applicable law
8. Fraudulent and Financial Instruments
- Counterfeit currency
- Forged documents
- Fraudulent identification documents
- Credit/debit cards not belonging to the purchaser
- Financial instruments used for unlawful activities
9. Recalled, Expired or Unsafe Products
- Expired food items/products
- Expired medicines
- Recalled consumer products
- Adulterated food products
- Products that pose a health or safety risk
10. Perishable items that cannot be safely delivered
Except for short-window deliveries with insulated packaging for products like ice, popsicles, frozen foods, and ice cream:
- Products requiring sustained specialized cold-chain handling that cannot be maintained during delivery
- Food items deemed unsafe for transport by the platform
11. High-Risk Items
- Precious metals, gemstones, and bullion
- Large amounts of cash
- Lottery tickets where prohibited
- High-value collectibles requiring specialized transport
12. Restricted Government and Official Materials
Except for the delivery of documents and items via the Relay vertical:
- Government-issued identity documents
- Official stamps and seals
- Election materials
- Classified or restricted government property
13. Any Other Prohibited Items
- Items that violate applicable Nigerian laws or regulations
- Items that create safety risks for customers, vendors, or riders
- Items that require specialized transportation, storage, or licensing not supported by the platform
- Items prohibited by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in the Prohibited and Restricted Goods list under the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).
- Items that are reasonably suspected to be illegal, counterfeit, fraudulent, or unsafe
3. Vertical-Specific Prohibited Items
1. Pharmacies & Health Stores
Applies to all pharmacy partners, health & wellness shops, and OTC medicine vendors. Cross-checks with Legal are mandatory for any pharmaceutical or cannabis-adjacent product.
| PHARMACIES & HEALTH STORES | |
|---|---|
| Category | Prohibited Item / Description |
| Prescription Drugs (Without Rx) | Prescription-only medicines (POM) dispensed or delivered without a valid prescription including but not limited to Ozempic, Viagra, Diclofenac, Metformin, Lisinopril, Amlodipine, Cefuroxime, Antihypertensives, Antipsychotics. |
| Tramadol (High-dose) | Tramadol formulations above 100mg or sold in quantities suggesting abuse/diversion; all unlicensed tramadol products |
| Codeine-based Syrups (OTC) | Codeine-containing cough syrups sold without a prescription (banned OTC by NAFDAC/FG since 2018) |
| Controlled Psychotropics | Benzodiazepines (diazepam, clonazepam), amphetamines, barbiturates, and Schedule I/II controlled substances without prescription |
| Cannabis / THC Products | Cannabis oil, THC capsules, marijuana-based preparations |
| Abortion Medications | Misoprostol, mifepristone, or any abortifacient |
| Counterfeit / Substandard Drugs | Fake, falsified, or substandard medicines without valid NAFDAC registration |
| Expired Medications | Any drug or medical product past its expiry date |
| Rohypnol / GHB / Date-rape Drugs | Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), GHB, and similar substances commonly used for assault |
| Veterinary Drugs for Human Use | Drugs formulated for animal use being marketed or sold for human consumption |
| Anabolic Steroids (Non-prescribed) | Performance-enhancing steroids |
| Pentazocine & Other Opioids (Unlicensed) | Pentazocine injections and opioid analgesic |
Note: All pharmacy partners must submit evidence of registration with CAC, a valid Pharmacist-in-Charge (PIC) certificate for all its pharmacists, Premises license from PCN, NAFDAC registration and State Level/Local Government Permits to Chowdeck Operations before going live.
2. Event Organisers
Applies to all event organisers listing tickets, passes, or event services on the Chowdeck platform.
| EVENT ORGANISERS | |
|---|---|
| Category | Prohibited Item / Description |
| Counterfeit / Duplicate Tickets | Fake, duplicated, or fraudulently generated event tickets |
| Ticket Touting / Price Gouging | Resale of tickets above face value (scalping) in contravention of event organiser or legal restrictions |
| Fireworks & Pyrotechnics | Consumer or professional fireworks, flares, or pyrotechnic devices without appropriate permit |
| Drug Paraphernalia | Pipes, rolling papers, bongs, syringes, or other equipment designed primarily for drug use |
| Events Promoting Illegal Activity | Tickets or access to events that promote violence, terrorism, cult activities, or other illegal conduct |
| Unlicensed Gambling Events | Tickets or entry passes to unlicensed gambling operations |
3. Gadget & Electronics Stores
Applies to electronics retailers, gadget stores, and tech accessory vendors.
| GADGET & ELECTRONICS STORES | |
|---|---|
| Category | Prohibited Item / Description |
| Counterfeit Electronics | Fake or imitation products misrepresenting a brand (fake Apple, Samsung, etc.) or SON-uncertified devices |
| Signal Jammers | Devices that block, jam, or interfere with cellular, GPS, or radio signals. Illegal under NCC regulations |
| Unlicensed Radio Transmitters | FM transmitters, boosters, or radio equipment not type-approved by the NCC |
| Covert Surveillance Equipment | Hidden cameras, spy microphones, or tracking devices intended for illegal surveillance |
| Devices Preloaded with Illegal Content | Devices preloaded with pirated software, illegal pornography, or extremist content |
| Uncertified Charging Equipment | Chargers, cables, or power banks without SON/NCC certification that pose fire or electrical safety risk |
| Hacking / Exploit Tools | Hardware hacking kits, skimmers, card-cloning devices, or any tool designed to compromise electronic security |
| Drones (Without Permits) | Unmanned aerial vehicles sold without accompanying NCAA import/airworthiness documentation |
| Non-Functional / Tampered Products | Products knowingly sold in a non-working state, or with tampered-with warranties/seals, without explicit disclosure |
4. Local Markets
Applies to informal market vendors, open-market stalls, and local traders onboarded via any Chowdeck market-category feature.
| LOCAL MARKETS | |
|---|---|
| Category | Prohibited Item / Description |
| Unregistered Herbal/Traditional Medicine | Herbal preparations, traditional medicines, or agbo formulations without valid NAFDAC registration |
| Unregistered Cosmetics | Skin-lightening creams, hair relaxers, or other cosmetics without NAFDAC registration, especially those containing mercury or hydroquinone above legal limits |
| Fake / Adulterated Food | Adulterated grains, fake or watered-down palm oil, counterfeit spices, or food items sold under a false description |
| Child Labour Products | Goods where the listing, seller, or supply chain involves the use of child labour |
4. Enforcement & Consequence
Vendors found to be listing or delivering prohibited items will be subject to the following actions, applied at Chowdeck's discretion:
- Immediate removal of the prohibited listing(s) from the platform
- Formal written warning on first offence
- Temporary suspension of vendor account pending investigation on second or serious first offence
- Permanent offboarding and blacklisting for repeat or serious offences (e.g., controlled substances, firearms, counterfeit drugs)
- Referral to relevant authorities (NAFDAC, NDLEA, NCC, Nigeria Police) where applicable
5. Policy Review & Updates
This Policy is a living document and may be reviewed, amended, expanded or updated from time to time to reflect changes in applicable laws and regulations, industry standards, operational requirements, safety considerations and business needs.
The Company reserves the right to modify this policy at its sole discretion without prior notice. Merchants, vendors, customers and service partners are responsible for ensuring that they comply with the most current version of this policy as published on the platform.
Any item not expressly listed in this policy may still be prohibited if the Company determines that its sale, purchase, or transportation poses legal, regulatory, safety, reputational, or operational risks.
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