The Federal Government of Nigeria has imposed a $220 million penalty on Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, for violating the country’s data privacy laws.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) announced the fine on Friday, after conducting a thorough 38-month investigation into Meta’s data privacy practices and market behavior.
The investigation, conducted jointly with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), revealed extensive and ongoing violations of Nigerian laws, including the unauthorized appropriation of personal data without user consent, discriminatory practices against Nigerian users, and the abuse of Meta’s dominant market position.
The FCCPC’s final order mandates Meta to take corrective actions to comply with Nigerian laws, including ensuring users’ right to data self-determination, ceasing unauthorized data transfers, and eliminating discriminatory practices.
The penalty imposed on Meta is one of the largest in Nigeria’s history, reflecting the gravity of the company’s violations.
