Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has threatened to shut down its services in Nigeria following regulatory fines exceeding $290 million imposed by three Nigerian government agencies. The fines stem from alleged violations of competition, advertising, and data privacy laws.
Background and Fines
In 2024, Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta $220 million for anti-competitive practices. The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) imposed a $37.5 million fine for unauthorized advertising, while the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) fined the company $32.8 million for breaches of data privacy regulations. These penalties are the result of investigations conducted from May 2021 to December 2023, which uncovered what regulators described as "invasive practices" against Nigerian consumers and data subjects.
Meta’s Legal Challenge and Response
Meta challenged the fines in Nigeria’s federal high court in Abuja but lost the appeal. The court ordered Meta to pay the fines by the end of June 2025. In court filings, Meta indicated that it might be forced to cease Facebook and Instagram operations in Nigeria to mitigate the risk of enforcement actions. The company criticized the NDPC’s demands as “unrealistic,” particularly the requirement to obtain prior government approval before transferring personal data outside Nigeria. The NDPC also instructed Meta to provide links to government-approved educational videos on data privacy risks, highlighting dangers of manipulative and unfair data processing, which Meta disputes.
Impact and Concerns
Facebook remains Nigeria’s most popular social media platform, essential for communication and a lifeline for many small businesses. The potential shutdown of Facebook and Instagram would disrupt millions of users and have significant social and economic consequences in Africa’s most populous country. WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, has not been mentioned in the shutdown threat.
As the June deadline approaches, Meta has yet to confirm whether it will comply with the fines or proceed with shutting down services, leaving Nigerian users and businesses anxiously awaiting the outcome.
This dispute highlights Nigeria’s increasing assertiveness in regulating Big Tech companies and enforcing data sovereignty and consumer protection laws.
