Meta Must Pay $220M Fine For Violating Data Protection In Nigeria, According To Tribunal

Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta and WhatsApp for breaching the country’s data protection and consumer rights laws. 

The fine was issued following a comprehensive investigation, which the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upheld on Friday, 25 April 2025. It must be paid within 60 days, as stated by TechPoint.

Why Meta must pay a $220 million fine?

The FCCPC and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) identified several violations, including the unauthorized sharing of Nigerian users’ data, inadequate consent mechanisms, and discriminatory practices that treated Nigerian consumers differently from those in other regions.

These findings came from a 38-month investigation that commenced in May 2021. The commission highlighted that Meta’s efforts defied the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

Meta responded and appealed the decision, stating that the fine was excessive and that the FCCPC’s directives were unclear and technically impossible to execute under Nigerian law. The company also argued that data protection issues fall under the jurisdiction of the NDPC, not the FCCPC.

How did the tribunal respond?

The tribunal disregarded these arguments, stating that the FCCPC had acted within its lawful mandate and that Meta had been given sufficient time to be heard. It’s ruling commands that Meta and WhatsApp must immediately end unauthorised sharing of Nigerian users’ data with third parties, including Facebook.

They are also being called to reinstate user consent mechanisms, which will allow Nigerians to determine how their data is shared, and to revert to their 2016 data-sharing policy.

Image: Julian Christ