Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned that it may suspend its services in Nigeria due to what it calls “unrealistic” regulatory demands from local authorities. This threat follows fines totaling over $290 million (£218 million) imposed on the tech giant by three Nigerian oversight agencies for violating competition, advertising, and data protection laws.
Last year, Meta faced penalties after investigations by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), and the advertising regulator. The FCCPC fined Meta $220 million for alleged anti-competitive practices, while the advertising regulator imposed a $37.5 million penalty for running unapproved ads. The NDPC levied a $32.8 million fine for alleged data privacy violations. Despite Meta’s efforts to challenge these sanctions in the Federal High Court in Abuja, its attempts to overturn the fines were unsuccessful.
In court documents seen by The BBC, Meta stated that it may have to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria to avoid enforcement actions. Although WhatsApp, another service owned by Meta, was not mentioned in the filings, the company indicated that the fines could lead to suspension of its social media platforms unless resolved by June.
Facebook remains the most popular social media platform in Nigeria, with millions relying on it for communication, news, and business, particularly among small online entrepreneurs.
The NDPC’s most controversial demands include requiring Meta to seek approval before transferring personal data out of Nigeria, a condition Meta called “unrealistic.” The commission also instructed Meta to display an icon linking users to educational content on data privacy, which must be created with the help of government-approved institutions and non-profits. Meta argued that these requirements misinterpret Nigeria’s data protection laws and are unfeasible.
Source :https://thenationonlineng.net/
