Meta says it may have to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria. This comes after big fines and tough rules from Nigerian regulators.
According to court documents seen by the BBC, Meta made the warning after losing a legal battle in Abuja. Three government agencies fined Meta over ₦290 million. The court ordered the company to pay before the end of June.
“We may be forced to stop Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria to avoid enforcement actions,” Meta said in court papers.
Meta owns WhatsApp too, but the company didn’t mention the app in its statement.
Why Meta Is in Trouble
The problem started when three agencies took action against Meta:
- The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta ₦220 million for what it called unfair competition.
- Nigeria’s advertising regulator fined Meta ₦37.5 million for running unapproved ads.
- The Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) issued a ₦32.8 million fine for breaking data privacy laws.
Meta’s main concern is with the NDPC. The agency wants Meta to get permission before moving user data outside Nigeria. It also wants Meta to create educational videos with local institutions about data privacy.
Meta called these demands “unrealistic.” The company said the rules misinterpret Nigeria’s privacy laws and would hurt its operations.
Regulators Push Back
The FCCPC isn’t backing down. It warned Meta and WhatsApp that they can’t avoid responsibility by threatening to quit.
“This is a planned move to create public pressure and make us change our decision,” said Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs.
The FCCPC found Meta guilty of several violations. These include unfair privacy policies, misuse of Nigerians’ data, and treating users in Nigeria worse than users in other countries.
“Meta abused its power by forcing users to accept bad privacy terms,” the FCCPC said.
The agency noted that Meta was also fined in Europe and the U.S. but didn’t threaten to leave those places. “They obeyed,” the statement said.
The FCCPC said Meta must now change how it operates in Nigeria and respect local laws.
“Leaving Nigeria doesn’t erase Meta’s legal duties,” the agency warned.
The FCCPC ended its statement by saying it will keep defending consumer rights and data privacy.
“We’re committed to making Nigeria’s digital space fairer for everyone,” the Commission said.
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