Weda Meta comot or not, dem gatz realise wetin dem do - Nigeria goment tell operators of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram

BBC News

04-05-2025

Di Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission don draw ear give Meta say dia threat no hold water becos dem go still owe gbese.
Dem tok dis one for statement wey di FCCPC director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu bring come outside on Saturday.
"WhatsApp claim say dem fit dey forced to comot Nigeria sake if di FCCPC recent order be like na calculated move wey dem do to cause negative public reaction wey dem tink fit make FCCPC to reconsider dia decision", Ijagwu tok.
E add say, "to threaten to comot Nigeria no mean say Meta no owe di liabilities wey be say di result of judicial process put for dia head".
According to wetin di company tok for court papers, dem say, "di applicant fit dey forced to shutdown Facebook and Instagram for Nigeria so dem go fit reduce di risk wey go come if dem no comply" but dem no tok anytin about WhatsApp for dat statement.
Di FCCPC drop lowdown of wetin dem bin dey accuse Meta for.
Dem claim say Meta violate di Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and di Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
Di accuse be say Meta "deny Nigerians di right to control dia personal data, dey share Nigerian user data witout permission, discriminate against Nigeria users compared to users for oda places and abuse dia dominant market position by say dem force unfair practices".
Dem add say, di Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal na im stamp di FCCPC final order say dem want make "Meta Parties to do wetin Nigeria law tok, stop to dey exploit Nigeria consumers, change dia practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights, wey go look like wetin be international best practices."
Wetin be di fines wey FCCPC dey ask for
For di weekend statement, FCCPC claim say " Meta bin dey fined for similar breaches for Texas for $1.5bn and recently dem ask dem to pay $1.3bn say dem violate di EU Data Privacy Rule. Dem aslo face penalties for similar breaches for India, South Korea, France and Australia".
All dis na to torchlight di fact say, na just Nigeria Meta det blackmail say dem wan comot.
Wetin start dis whole kasala against Meta?
Na for 2020, dis mata start as di FCCPC begin 38 month collabo investigation wit di Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
Di investigation torchlight di conduct, privacy practices, and consumer data policies of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp.
For 19 July, 2024, di FCCPC come issue final offer wey sama $220 million administrative penalty ontop Meta head say dem bin dey run discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers.
As Meta no come like di Order, Meta and WhatsApp carry di FCCPC go di Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal as dem bin make di final arguments by 28 January, 2025 but no be till 25 April, 2025, na im di Tribunal come drop dia ruling.
Di Tribunal release dia judgement on di case say mostly on di side of di commission for di seven issues Meta bin bring bifor di court.
Dem even add on top di $220m administrative penalty say Meta Platforms Incorporated and WhatsApp LLC go pay $35,000 to di FCCPC as cost of di investigation.
Di three member panel of di Tribunal wey Honorable Thomas Okosun lead, while dem judge most di case in di Commission favour bin set aside Order 7 of di Commission Final Order say e no get legal basis.