LAGOS, Nigeria – Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned that it may shut down both platforms in Nigeria, citing “unworkable” regulatory demands and a string of hefty fines totalling over $220 million imposed by Nigerian authorities.
The warning was contained in a court filing seen by the BBC, as Meta prepares to appeal a recent tribunal decision upholding the fines issued by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and other regulatory bodies.
The crisis stems from a 38-month investigation conducted jointly by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which concluded in December 2023.
The investigation focused on the data handling and privacy practices of Meta’s services, particularly WhatsApp and its parent platforms.
The FCCPC fined Meta $220 million in July 2024, citing violations of Nigeria’s consumer protection and data privacy laws.
In addition, the NDPC imposed a separate fine of $32.8 million, accusing Meta of breaching provisions under the Nigeria Data Protection Act by transferring user data abroad without adequate safeguards or approval.
On April 25, 2025, Nigeria’s competition and consumer protection tribunal upheld the FCCPC’s $220 million penalty, giving Meta until the end of June to comply.
In response, Meta indicated it may “effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures.”
The social media giant, which also owns WhatsApp, did not include the instant messaging platform in its withdrawal warning.
Meta’s legal filing alleges that the NDPC has misinterpreted Nigeria’s data privacy framework, calling the enforcement measures “unrealistic.”
A major point of contention is a directive requiring Meta to seek regulatory approval before transferring the personal data of Nigerian users to servers abroad.
Nigerian officials maintain that this condition is essential to protect citizens’ data from misuse.
Further aggravating the situation, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has separately fined Meta $37.5 million for running advertisements without pre-approval, adding to the company’s legal and financial pressures in the country.
Regulators have also ordered Meta to create and promote educational content on data privacy risks via a dedicated icon within its platforms, in collaboration with government-accredited organisations — a demand the company says is technically burdensome and outside international norms.
The FCCPC insists that the sanctions are a result of extensive investigations and reflect Nigeria’s sovereign right to enforce its data laws.
“The fines are justified and stem from prolonged non-compliance and violation of statutory obligations,” an FCCPC spokesperson said in a statement.
As of Saturday, May 3, 2025, Meta has not issued a public statement confirming whether it will proceed with the threat to exit the Nigerian market.
However, the growing tensions between the global tech company and Nigerian regulators signal a potentially dramatic standoff over digital governance in Africa’s largest internet economy.
With over 38 million Facebook users and millions more on Instagram in Nigeria, any decision to pull the services would have wide-reaching social and commercial implications.
