FCCPC reacts to Meta’s threat of exiting Nigeria over $290 million fine

• FCCPC accuses Meta of violating Nigerian data protection and consumer laws
• The company was accused of unauthorised data transfers, discrimination against Nigerian users, and abuse of market dominance
• Meanwhile, FCCPC says Meta’s threat to exit Nigeria is a strategic move to pressure regulators

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, is under fire in Nigeria after the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) found the tech giant guilty of multiple infringements of local data and consumer protection laws.

In a strongly worded statement signed by Ondaje Ijagwu, the Director of Corporate Affairs, the FCCPC made it clear that Meta’s suggestion of a possible exit from the Nigerian market will not shield it from liability or due legal process. 

The Commission described the move as a strategic attempt to sway public opinion and pressure the regulator into reversing its decisions.

The FCCPC had investigated Meta and WhatsApp (collectively referred to as “Meta Parties”) over allegations of violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) of 2018 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). 

According to the findings, Meta was found guilty of repeated violations, including unauthorised data transfers, denial of user control over personal data, discrimination against Nigerian users, and abuse of its dominant market position by enforcing unfair privacy policies.

Meta’s regulatory woes in Nigeria are not isolated. The tech company has previously faced major fines across the globe for similar offences. 

In Texas, Meta was fined $1.5 billion, while the European Union recently ordered the company to pay $1.3 billion for breaching data privacy rules. 

Penalties have also been imposed in countries like India, South Korea, France, and Australia, none of which triggered threats of withdrawal from the markets, as has now been suggested in Nigeria.

Following the ruling by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal affirming the FCCPC’s final order, Meta is mandated to revise its operations to comply with Nigerian laws. 

This includes halting exploitative practices, aligning its privacy policies with local standards, and respecting consumer rights in line with global best practices.

“The threat to exit the Nigerian market does not absolve Meta of liability resulting from a judicial process,” Ijagwu emphasised, reaffirming the FCCPC’s commitment to upholding consumer rights and ensuring a level playing field in Nigeria’s digital marketplace.

FCCPC accuses WhatsApp of attempting to sway public opinion with exit threat

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said that WhatsApp’s threat that it may exit Nigeria due to the agency’s order is an attempt to sway public opinion. 

The agency also disclosed their investigations into Meta’s platforms revealed multiple infringements on data privacy and that their actions are out of genuine concern for the consumers of the digital platform.