The Nigerian government has imposed a hefty fine of $220 million on Meta for multiple and repeated violations of the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Nigeria found that Meta engaged in various practices that contravened data laws in the country.
The violations included sharing the data of Nigerians without authorization, denying consumers the right to control the use of their data, engaging in discriminatory practices, and abusing market dominance. The FCCPC issued a Final Order and penalty against Meta Parties after thorough investigations and providing the company with opportunities to respond.
Nigeria, with a population of 154 million active internet users in 2022, has one of the highest numbers of internet users in Africa. Despite this, Meta failed to comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, neglected to involve a Data Protection Compliance Organization, and did not submit the required audit report for two years.
In addition to the financial penalty, the FCCPC mandated Meta to adhere to local laws and stop exploiting Nigerian consumers. The investigation into Meta's practices began in May 2021 following concerns about WhatsApp's updated privacy policy. Despite Meta's proposed remedy package, the company's response did not adequately address the initial concerns raised by the consumer protection agency.
