In a surprising turn of events, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has threatened to withdraw its services from Nigeria, citing hefty fines and what it describes as “unrealistic” regulatory demands imposed by Nigerian authorities.
This comes after three major regulatory bodies in Nigeria slammed Meta with combined fines exceeding $290 million last year, over alleged breaches of competition, advertising, and data protection laws.
Meta recently challenged the fines at the Abuja High Court but lost the case. The court ruled that the tech giant must pay the full sum by the end of June 2025.
While the company also owns WhatsApp, its threat to withdraw services has so far excluded the messaging platform.
Millions of Nigerians rely on Facebook and Instagram daily for communication, business, and information, making the potential shutdown a major blow to users and digital entrepreneurs alike.
The fines include:
- $220 million from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for alleged anti-competitive practices.
- $37.5 million by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) for unauthorized advertising activities.
- $32.8 million from the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for violating local data privacy laws.
Adamu Abdullahi, CEO of the FCCPC, said investigations between May 2021 and December 2023 revealed “invasive practices against Nigerian data subjects,” though he stopped short of providing specific details.
The NDPC’s directives require Meta to:
- Obtain prior user consent before transferring personal data outside Nigeria.
- Create and promote educational videos on data privacy risks in partnership with government-approved institutions and non-profits.
Meta has called these requirements impractical, accusing the data commission of “misinterpreting” data privacy regulations. It maintains that such restrictions challenge the fundamentals of global internet operations and user experience.
With the deadline fast approaching, tensions remain high as Nigerians brace for the possibility of losing access to two of their most used social media platforms if the standoff is not resolved.
