Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has been hit with fines exceeding US$290 million by Nigerian regulators.
According to The Conversation Africa, these penalties were imposed by Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Nigerian Data Protection Commission, and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria due to violations involving invasive data practices targeting Nigerian users.
The investigation revealed that Meta forced WhatsApp users to accept a privacy policy update in January 2021, which required mandatory data sharing with Facebook and its subsidiaries. This update did not offer an opt-out option, effectively blocking users from WhatsApp if they declined. Regulators found that Meta shared personal data without consent, including cross-border transfers, and failed to comply with Nigeria’s data protection laws.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission described Meta’s actions as an abuse of its market dominance, noting unfair practices such as tying and bundling of services across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Meta’s failure to localize its data policies and appoint a Data Protection Compliance Organisation also contributed to the sanctions.
A spokesperson for the commission said, “Meta must reinstate Nigerian users’ rights to control their data without losing app functionality or deleting the application.” The order also requires Meta to cease data sharing without explicit user consent and to provide educational resources about data privacy risks in collaboration with NGOs and academic institutions.
Nigeria, home to around 236 million people and over 107 million active internet users, depends heavily on Meta platforms. Facebook and Instagram serve millions of Nigerian users, many of whom rely on these platforms for marketing, communication, and content creation. Despite threats by Meta to pull services from the country, regulators insist that such moves would not exempt the company from compliance or liability.
Meta has faced similar penalties worldwide, including significant fines in the US, Europe, India, South Korea, and Australia.
Article updated 5 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
