Business Briefings
FG Dismisses Meta’s Threat to Exit Nigeria Following $220 Million Fine
The Federal Government has rejected Meta Platforms Inc.’s threat to withdraw from Nigeria, following a substantial $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for repeated violations of data protection and competition laws.
In addition to the main penalty, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal ordered Meta—owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—to pay $35,000 in investigative costs. The tribunal found that Meta failed to respect Nigerian user data rights and engaged in discriminatory practices compared to users in other countries.
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Meta challenged the ruling, citing inconsistencies and lack of clarity in the FCCPC’s directives, and argued that its privacy practices complied with global standards. However, the tribunal, led by Justice Thomas Okosun, upheld the penalty and gave Meta a 60-day window to settle the fine.
In response to Meta’s reported consideration of shutting down services in Nigeria, the FCCPC labeled the move a public relations tactic meant to influence opinion and pressure the commission into reversing its decision.
According to the FCCPC, Meta’s offenses included transferring Nigerian users’ personal data without consent, enforcing unfair privacy policies, and leveraging its market dominance in a way that put local consumers at a disadvantage. These acts, the commission stated, violated both the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
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The commission emphasized that similar violations by Meta in other countries—including the U.S., E.U., South Korea, France, and India—were met with compliance rather than exit threats. “Meta complied with sanctions abroad. Nigeria will not be an exception,” the FCCPC said.
It further stressed that the government would not be intimidated by corporate threats and remains fully committed to safeguarding consumer rights, enforcing data privacy, and ensuring a fair digital economy for all Nigerians.
The FCCPC concluded by urging multinational technology companies operating in Nigeria to respect the country’s legal and regulatory framework or face appropriate consequences.
