Meta vs Nigeria: Govt Challenges Social Media Giant To Ban Facebook, Instagram Operations
The Federal Competitive and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) firmly stated yesterday that WhatsApp’s claim of being compelled to exit Nigeria in response to a recent order mandating the company to pay $290 million in fines is a calculated attempt to provoke public backlash and pressure the FCCPC into reconsidering its ruling.
In a statement issued by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC explained that an investigation into Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (collectively referred to as the “Meta Parties”) revealed significant violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The statement highlighted: “The Commission found that Meta Parties repeatedly infringed upon the FCCPA (2018) and the NDPR. These violations included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing user data without consent, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to those in other regions, and abusing their dominant market position by imposing unfair privacy policies.”
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Ijagwu pointed out that Meta has faced substantial fines elsewhere, including $1.5 billion for similar breaches in Texas and $1.3 billion for violations of EU Data Privacy Rules. He noted that, unlike in Nigeria, Meta did not threaten to exit markets in countries like India, South Korea, France, and Australia when faced with penalties.
The FCCPC emphasized that the recent confirmation of its final order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal necessitates that the Meta Parties comply with Nigerian laws: “Stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, amend your practices to align with Nigerian standards, and respect consumer rights, in accordance with international best practices.”
The Commission asserted that threatening to leave Nigeria does not exempt Meta from accountability for the ongoing judicial proceedings. It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumer rights and ensuring a fair digital market in Nigeria.
