Meta Considers Facebook and Instagram Exit in Nigeria Amid Mounting Regulatory Pressure

Potential Social Media Blackout Looms Over Nigeria
Nigerians could soon find themselves without access to Facebook and Instagram, as Meta Platforms Inc., the U.S.-based tech giant, faces escalating tensions with national regulators. The company has warned it may be compelled to discontinue these services in Nigeria due to hefty fines and what it calls “unrealistic” compliance requirements.

In court documents recently filed in Abuja, Meta stated:

“The applicant may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures.”

Fines Surpassing $290 Million

Three major Nigerian regulatory bodies collectively issued fines against Meta last year totaling over $290 million (approximately £218 million). These penalties stem from alleged breaches in competitive practices, advertising standards, and data privacy laws.

Breakdown of the fines imposed in July 2024:

• $220 million by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for anti-competitive behavior.

• $37.5 million by the Nigerian advertising regulator for publishing unapproved ads.

• $32.8 million by the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for violations of data protection laws.

Despite Meta’s legal efforts to overturn the decisions, the Federal High Court in Abuja upheld the fines and has given the company a deadline to comply—by the end of June 2025.

Data Privacy Dispute at the Center of the Storm

While Meta challenges all three penalties, the company emphasizes that its “primary concern” lies with the NDPC’s interpretation of privacy regulations. Meta claims the commission is enforcing terms that go beyond internationally accepted standards.

A key sticking point is the NDPC’s directive that Meta must obtain prior approval before transferring any Nigerian user’s personal data outside the country. The company labeled this requirement “unrealistic.”

Further mandates from the NDPC include the development of user education tools:

• An icon on Meta’s platforms must link to government-approved educational videos about data privacy risks.

• The content should explain the dangers of “manipulative and unfair data processing,” highlighting possible health and financial threats to users.

Meta argues these requirements are impractical and that the NDPC has not “properly interpreted the laws guiding data privacy.”

Regulatory Investigations Reveal “Invasive Practices”
FCCPC’s Chief Executive Officer, Adamu Abdullahi, disclosed that between May 2021 and December 2023, joint investigations with the NDPC uncovered “invasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria.” However, specific examples were not disclosed publicly.

Impact on Users and Businesses
With tens of millions of Nigerians relying on Facebook for daily interactions, news sharing, and business promotion, the threat of service withdrawal has sparked widespread concern. Instagram, also popular among youth and small businesses, would be similarly affected.

WhatsApp, another platform owned by Meta, was not mentioned in the company’s court filings, leaving its status in the country uncertain.

Awaiting Meta’s Response
As of this report, Meta has yet to respond to further inquiries from the BBC regarding its next course of action.

Author: Din Kumar