Nigerians could lose access to Facebook and Instagram as Meta, the platforms’ parent company, has threatened to suspend its services in the country due to what it describes as excessive fines and “unrealistic” regulatory demands from Nigerian authorities.
The tech giant is facing fines totaling over $290 million imposed by three Nigerian regulatory bodies last year, citing breaches of competition, advertising, and data protection laws. Meta recently lost its bid to overturn these penalties in the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In court filings, Meta stated it may be “forced to effectively shut down” Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria to avoid the consequences of enforcement actions. WhatsApp, another Meta-owned platform, was not mentioned in the statement.
The Federal High Court has given Meta until the end of June to settle the fines. The BBC reached out to the company for comment but has yet to receive a response.
Facebook remains the most widely used social media platform in Nigeria, crucial not only for everyday communication but also for thousands of small businesses that rely on it for marketing and operations.
The penalties include a $220 million fine from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for alleged anti-competitive behavior, $37.5 million from the advertising regulator for unauthorized ads, and $32.8 million from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for data privacy violations.
FCCPC chief Adamu Abdullahi claimed that investigations conducted with the NDPC between May 2021 and December 2023 uncovered invasive practices affecting Nigerian users, although specifics were not disclosed.
Meta’s main dispute lies with the NDPC, which it accused of misinterpreting data privacy laws. The commission has demanded prior approval for transferring user data outside Nigeria—something Meta calls “unrealistic.” Other requirements include prominently displaying educational content about data privacy risks, co-produced with government-approved institutions and nonprofits.
Meta criticized the NDPC’s approach, calling its expectations “unfeasible” and arguing that the commission had failed to accurately interpret the country’s data protection laws.
(BBC)