Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has signalled a possible exit from Nigeria after a tribunal upheld a substantial \$220 million penalty issued in July 2024 over data privacy violations.
In addition to the main fine, Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) mandated that Meta pay an extra \$35,000 to cover the “cost of investigation.” Further fines from other regulatory agencies followed, including a N60 billion (\$37.5 million) penalty from the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) and a \$32.8 million sanction from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission. Combined, these penalties total \$290.3 million.
In its court response to the ruling, Meta warned: “The applicant may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures.”
FCCPC spokesperson Ondaje Ijagwu confirmed the tribunal’s decision, stating that it backed the commission’s findings: “The tribunal ruled that the multiple actions by WhatsApp and Meta, for which the Commission made findings of violations, were correctly identified, and that the Commission did not err in making those findings.”
The Nigerian government has accused Meta of breaching national regulations concerning data protection and consumer rights, citing its activities on Facebook and WhatsApp.
Adamu Abdullahi, Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, elaborated on the basis for the penalties, citing the outcome of a joint probe carried out with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission between May 2021 and December 2023.
He stated that the investigation uncovered “invasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria.” He also highlighted issues such as discriminatory practices, misuse of market power, sharing user data without consent, and denying Nigerians the ability to control their personal information.
Following the July ruling, a WhatsApp representative commented via email: “We disagree with this decision as well as the fine.”
With over 164 million internet users as of March, based on data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigeria represents a significant market for Meta. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are among the most actively used platforms in the country.
Meta is also facing growing scrutiny in Europe, where the European Union fined the tech giant €200 million over its controversial “pay or consent” model, which regulators ruled breached the bloc’s data privacy laws on Facebook and Instagram.
