Nigeria Slaps $220 Million Fine on Meta for Antitrust, Data Protection Violations

Nigeria has imposed a massive fine of $220 million (€202 million) on US tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, for violating antitrust, data protection, and consumer rights laws in the country.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Nigeria launched an investigation into Meta’s activities in May 2021 and found evidence of “invasive practices” against data subjects in Nigeria.

The commission accused Meta of engaging in discriminatory practices, abusing its market dominance, sharing Nigerians’ personal data without authorization, and denying them the right to determine how their data is used.

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FCCPC Chief Executive Officer Adamu Abdullahi said that the investigation revealed “significant evidence on the record” of Meta’s wrongdoing and called on the company to comply with Nigerian laws and stop exploiting Nigerian consumers and engaging in market abuse.

The commission instructed  Meta to desist from future conduct or practices that do not meet nationally applicable standards.

This is a stern warning to Meta to shape up its business practices in Nigeria.

This development comes as no surprise, given the increasing scrutiny of big tech companies like Meta for their data collection and usage practices.

The European Union had earlier this month accused Meta of breaching its tech regulations.

Nigeria’s decision to take action against Meta sends a strong message to the tech giant that it cannot operate outside the bounds of the law.

With over 164 million internet subscriptions out of a total population of 200 million, Nigeria is an important market for Meta.

Meta’s popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are widely used in Nigeria, particularly among the young population.

In fact, the country’s Communication Minister Bosun Tijani revealed in December that there were over 51 million WhatsApp users in Nigeria.

It remains to be seen how Meta will respond to this massive fine and whether it will make changes to its business practices in Nigeria.

However, one thing is clear – Nigerian regulators are serious about protecting consumers’ rights and will not hesitate to take action against companies that violate the law.

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