Welcome to the Africa Online & Publications Library (AOPL). By accessing or using our website, journals, submission systems or any related services (collectively, the “Platform”), you agree to comply with and be bound by the following Terms and Conditions. Please read them carefully.

If you do not agree with these terms, you should not use this Platform.

1. About AOPL

AOPL is an open-access academic publishing platform that hosts peer-reviewed journals, scholarly articles and educational resources. Our mission is to promote equitable access to knowledge and support inclusive, African-led research.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By using this Platform, you confirm that you:

• Are at least 18 years old or have legal parental/guardian consent
• Have read, understood and agreed to these Terms and Conditions
• Will comply with all applicable laws and regulations

3. User Accounts and Registration

Some features of the Platform (e.g., submitting papers, becoming a reviewer) may require registration. You agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete information
• Keep your login credentials confidential
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account

AOPL reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms.

4. Content Ownership and Licensing

All content published on our platform is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), unless otherwise stated.

• Authors retain full copyright of their work
• Users may share, adapt and reuse content with proper attribution
• Commercial use is permitted under the CC BY 4.0 license

You may not falsely claim authorship or misrepresent the source of any content.

5. Submissions and Author Responsibilities

By submitting content to AOPL, you confirm that:

• The work is original and not under review elsewhere
• You have obtained all necessary permissions (e.g., for third-party content)
• You have disclosed any conflicts of interest
• You agree to our Editorial Policies and Plagiarism & Retraction Policy

AOPL reserves the right to reject or retract submissions that violate ethical or legal standards.

6. Use of Platform Content

You may:

• Read, download and share articles for personal, academic or professional use
• Cite AOPL content with proper attribution
• Link to articles or journal pages from your website or social media

You may not:

• Use the Platform for unlawful, harmful or fraudulent purposes
• Upload viruses, malware, or disruptive code
• Harvest data or use automated tools to scrape content

7. Communications and Notifications

By registering or subscribing to AOPL, you consent to receive communications from us, including:

• Calls for papers
• Journal updates
• Newsletters and announcements

You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in our emails or contacting us at info@africaopl.org

8. Privacy and Data Protection

We are committed to protecting your privacy. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal data.

9. Limitation of Liability

AOPL and its affiliates are not liable for:

• Any direct, indirect or consequential damage arising from your use of the Platform
• Errors, omissions or inaccuracies in published content
• Temporary unavailability or technical issues

All content is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind.

10. Modifications and Updates

We reserve the right to modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

11. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the Republic of Rwanda, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes shall be resolved in the competent courts of Kigali, Rwanda.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about these Terms and Conditions, please contact info@africaopl.org