The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has issued a firm response to Meta Platforms Inc., emphasizing that the tech giant’s threat to exit Nigeria will not absolve it of its legal responsibilities under Nigerian law.
Earlier today, May 3, Meta stated that it “may be forced to effectively shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria” to mitigate the risk of enforcement actions. This warning followed Meta’s recent loss in court, where it failed to overturn a ₦220 million fine imposed by the FCCPC for violations of data protection and consumer rights laws.
In its response, the FCCPC condemned Meta’s statement, describing it as “a calculated attempt” to provoke a negative public reaction and potentially pressure the Commission into reconsidering its decision.
The FCCPC made it clear that Meta’s threat to leave Nigeria does not exempt the company from legal consequences stemming from the judicial process.
“These violations include denying Nigerians control over their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without consent, treating Nigerian users unfairly compared to users in other regions, and exploiting their dominant market position with unjust privacy policies,” the FCCPC wrote on X.
The Commission also pointed out that Meta has faced similar penalties in other jurisdictions, including a $1.5 billion fine in Texas and a $1.3 billion penalty for breaching E.U. data privacy rules. Additionally, Meta has faced fines in India, South Korea, France, and Australia for similar infractions. However, unlike in Nigeria, Meta did not resort to threats of exiting those countries; instead, it complied with the legal processes.
See the full statement from the FCCPC below.
