Tech giant Meta has threatened to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria after being slammed with nearly $300 million in fines by various Nigerian government agencies — penalties the company calls “unrealistic.”
In July 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) hit Meta with a $220 million fine for alleged exploitative practices and failure to comply with Nigeria’s data protection requirements.
Other penalties include:
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$37.5 million from the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) for unauthorized ads,
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And $32.8 million from the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for an alleged data privacy breach.
Meta challenged the fines in court but lost. The Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the company to pay up by June’s end. In response, Meta warned that it may be “forced to shut down” its services in Nigeria to avoid enforcement actions.
The company also pushed back against claims it jeopardizes Nigerian users’ health and finances, accusing NDPC of misinterpreting privacy laws.
“Meta’s presence in Nigeria is now in question, just as digital services continue to grow across Africa,” said one analyst.
This battle could mark a turning point in big tech’s relationship with African regulators.
