Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned that it may discontinue operations in Nigeria following mounting regulatory fines and what it describes as “unrealistic” national laws on data and advertising.
The US tech giant issued the threat on Thursday after losing a legal challenge at the High Court in Abuja, where it had sought to overturn more than $290 million in fines imposed by Nigerian regulatory authorities.
In 2024, three government agencies — the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) — levied separate penalties against Meta for breaches of various national regulations.
CBEX Resumes Operations Amid ₦1.2tn Alleged Crypto Fraud Scandal
The FCCPC imposed the largest fine, totalling $220 million, accusing Meta of anti-competitive conduct that allegedly disrupted Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and harmed local businesses.
ARCON fined the company $37.5 million for running advertisements without mandatory approvals, asserting that the ads breached Nigerian advertising standards.
The NDPC added a $32.8 million penalty, citing repeated violations of data protection rules, including unauthorised cross-border transfers of personal data belonging to Nigerian citizens.
“The investigations conducted from May 2021 to December 2023 uncovered invasive practices against data subjects in Nigeria,” said FCCPC Chief Executive, Adamu Abdullahi. “These findings resulted from collaborative efforts between our agency and the NDPC. We remain committed to safeguarding Nigerian consumers.”
Meta, in its court filings, argued that the regulators had misapplied the country’s data protection laws, particularly regarding international data transfers and consent requirements.
“We are committed to respecting local laws, but the NDPC’s requirement to obtain prior approval for data transfers does not align with global data flow standards,” Meta’s legal representative stated.
In addition to the fines, the NDPC instructed Meta to partner with authorised institutions to create and distribute educational content for Nigerian users about the risks of data misuse. This content, the commission said, must clearly address “manipulative and unfair data processing” and its potential impacts on mental health and financial security.
Meta criticised the directive as “excessive and impractical,” contending that no similar obligations have been placed on other international technology companies operating in the country.
While the court ultimately ruled against Meta, the company’s statement notably omitted any mention of WhatsApp, raising questions about whether the popular messaging platform will be affected by any potential withdrawal.
Facebook remains Nigeria’s most widely used social media platform, relied upon by tens of millions of Nigerians for communication, content sharing, and business activities.
