Meta Faces Regulatory Showdown in Nigeria
Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned it may be compelled to suspend both platforms in Nigeria, citing mounting regulatory pressures and substantial financial penalties imposed by the country's authorities.
The warning follows a series of fines levied against Meta by Nigerian regulatory bodies. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission imposed a $220 million fine for alleged anti-competitive practices. Additionally, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria fined Meta $37.5 million for unapproved advertising content, while the Nigerian Data Protection Commission issued a $32.8 million penalty for purported breaches of data privacy laws. These fines stem from investigations conducted between May 2021 and December 2023.
In legal filings submitted to Nigeria's Federal High Court, Meta indicated that to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures, it might have to 'effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria.' The company has until the end of June to comply with the payment directives.
Meta has expressed particular concern over the NDPC's regulatory demands, which include obtaining prior approval before transferring Nigerian user data abroad and integrating educational content on data privacy risks into its platforms. The company has described these requirements as 'unrealistic' and has criticized the commissions' directives as vague and impractical, accusing the NDPC of misinterpreting Nigeria's data protection laws.
The FCCPC has defended its actions, stating that the fines are the result of thorough investigations conducted in partnership with the NDPC. The commission emphasized that Meta has been sanctioned for similar breaches in other countries but has 'never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries.'
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