Policy & Privacy
UBIN v3.3 — Private Trust Registry for Student Businesses
1. Verification Model
UBIN operates as a private trust registry, not a government business registry. It does not replace CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) registration. UBIN answers: "Can this person and this business be verified within a university ecosystem?"
Trust is decomposed into four independent verification claims rather than a binary verified/unverified toggle. This eliminates pass/fail bottlenecks and prevents identity fraud by requiring multiple independent proofs.
2. Four Verification Badges
Each badge is evaluated independently and displayed publicly on the business profile:
| Badge | Scope & Evaluation Method | Public Display |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Verified | Validates applicant is a real person via KYC reference tokens (NIN) or reference checks | IDENTITY VERIFIED |
| Institution Verified | Confirms active university association via student ID, portal evidence, or course registration | INSTITUTION VERIFIED |
| Business Evidence Verified | Audits proof of work: physical inventory, workspace tools, service delivery media | BUSINESS EVIDENCE VERIFIED |
| Payment Identity Match | Automated NUBAN name matching between bank account and verified legal identity | PAYMENT IDENTITY MATCH |
3. Identifier Architecture
Canonical Format
UBIN-ABUD-2026-7K4P-C
| Segment | Length | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prefix | 4 | Alpha | Fixed system brand | UBIN |
| Institution Code | 4 | Alpha | Unique university code | ABUD |
| Registration Year | 4 | Numeric | Calendar year (YYYY) | 2026 |
| Random Code | 4 | Base32 | Cryptographic random | 7K4P |
| Check Digit | 1 | Alphanumeric | Modulo-36 checksum | C |
Security
- Raw unhyphenated strings stored in database (e.g.,
UBINABUD20267K4PC) - Input sanitization strips hyphens/whitespace on lookup
- Cryptographic Base32 prevents enumeration and forgery
- Dynamic signed QR tokens for physical display
4. Data Privacy & Field Boundaries
UBIN follows privacy-by-design. Public lookup displays only what's necessary for trust verification.
| Data Field | Public Lookup | Internal Admin |
|---|---|---|
| Business Name & Category | Full | Full |
| UBIN Code | Full | Full |
| Institution & Campus | Full | Full |
| Founder Legal Name | Masked (David.) | Full |
| Residential Location | General Zone | Block & Room |
| National ID (NIN) | Hidden | Encrypted Token |
| NUBAN Bank Details | Match Status Only | Full Match Details |
5. Lifecycle & Expiry
- 12-month validity: Every UBIN expires 365 days from issuance
- Automated renewal: Prompts via WhatsApp/Email 30 days before expiration
- Expiry status: Unrenewed UBINs transition to
EXPIRED— publicly visible - Re-verification: Renewal requires light-touch re-check (identity + payment match)
6. Public Reputation Wording
Public profiles replace subjective complaint counts with objective indicators:
- Active Status in Good Standing — verified, current, no unresolved reports
- No Unresolved Reports — clean complaint history
- Expired — certification lapsed, renewal required
- Revoked / Suspended — trust breach, see reason
7. Terms of Use
For Applicants
- Information provided must be accurate and current
- False representation results in permanent blacklist
- UBIN certification is non-transferable
- Annual renewal required to maintain verified status
For Verifiers (Public)
- UBIN status reflects verification at time of check
- UBIN does not guarantee business quality or transaction safety
- Report suspected fraud via Complaints channel
Limitations
- UBIN is not a government license or CAC substitute
- Verification covers identity/affiliation, not business competence
- System availability not guaranteed; no SLA