On April 25, 2025, Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Meta Platforms Inc. and its subsidiary WhatsApp LLC. The penalty stems from a 38-month investigation into alleged violations of Nigeria’s consumer protection and data privacy laws, specifically the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The FCCPC’s inquiry, conducted in collaboration with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission, revealed that Meta’s platforms which are Facebook and WhatsApp, engaged in practices that denied Nigerian users control over their personal data, shared data without consent, and imposed exploitative privacy policies. Additionally, the investigation found that Nigerians were treated less favorably compared to users in other regions with similar regulations.
In addition to the $220 million fine, Meta and WhatsApp were ordered to pay $35,000 to the FCCPC to cover investigation costs. The Tribunal dismissed the companies’ appeal, affirming the FCCPC’s findings and the imposed penalty .
You will recall that in July 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) issued a $220 million fine against Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The fine was imposed after a comprehensive investigation that began in May 2021. The FCCPC found Meta guilty of violating Nigeria’s data protection laws, including unauthorized data-sharing, discriminatory practices, and abuse of market dominance.
Meta appealed the FCCPC’s decision, presenting 22 reasons why the fine should be overturned. Meta argued that the directives were vague, technically impossible to implement, and not supported by Nigerian law. They also claimed that the FCCPC denied them a fair hearing.
April 2025: The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal dismissed Meta’s appeal and upheld the $220 million fine. The tribunal also ordered Meta to pay $35,000 to cover investigative costs. The ruling emphasized that Meta’s actions violated consumer rights and data protection regulations in Nigeria
Key Findings:
- Meta shared Nigerian users’ personal data without their consent.
- Data was stored and transferred across borders without proper authorization.
- Nigerian users were treated unfairly compared to users in other countries.
- Meta enforced exploitative privacy policies that compromised consumer rights
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