Meta has warned it might shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria due to nearly $300 million in fines imposed by various Nigerian government agencies. The company called these regulatory demands "unrealistic." In July 2024, Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta $220 million for allegedly exploiting Nigerian users and engaging in anti-competitive practices. The commission said Meta failed to appoint a Data Protection Compliance Organisation and did not submit data protection audit reports for two years. Additionally, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) fined Meta $37.5 million for running unapproved ads, and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) imposed a $32.8 million fine over alleged privacy violations. Meta challenged these penalties in Nigeria’s Federal High Court but lost. The court ordered Meta to pay all fines by the end of June 2025. In court filings, Meta said it might be forced to suspend Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria to avoid enforcement actions, according to the BBC.
Meta threatens to shut down Facebook, Instagram in Nigeria.
Meta has warned it might shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria due to nearly $300 million in fines imposed by various Nigerian government agencies. The company called these regulatory demands "unrealistic."
In July 2024, Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta $220 million for allegedly exploiting Nigerian users and engaging in anti-competitive practices. The commission said Meta failed to appoint a Data Protection Compliance Organisation and did not submit data protection audit reports for two years.
Additionally, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) fined Meta $37.5 million for running unapproved ads, and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) imposed a $32.8 million fine over alleged privacy violations.
Meta challenged these penalties in Nigeria’s Federal High Court but lost. The court ordered Meta to pay all fines by the end of June 2025. In court filings, Meta said it might be forced to suspend Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria to avoid enforcement actions, according to the BBC.
“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,” the company said in the court papers.
Responding to the NDPC’s assertion that Meta’s data processing could expose Nigerian users to health and financial risks, the company said the agency had failed to “properly interpret the laws guiding data privacy.”
Meta also argued that the NDPC misunderstood data privacy laws and imposed unrealistic requirements, such as seeking government approval before transferring personal data out of Nigeria and creating educational videos on data privacy risks in partnership with approved institutions.
Facebook is the most widely used social media platform in Nigeria, vital for communication and small businesses. Meta has not said whether WhatsApp will be affected.
