Meta warns of possible Facebook, Instagram shutdown in Nigeria, gives reason

Nigerian users could lose access to Facebook and Instagram as Meta, the parent company of the popular platforms, considers pulling its services from the country in response to hefty fines and what it calls “unrealistic” regulatory demands from the government.

The tech giant is grappling with penalties totaling over $290 million (approximately £218 million) imposed last year by three Nigerian regulatory agencies for alleged breaches of various laws.

Meta recently lost a legal challenge against these penalties at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“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 stated in court filings.

Meta, which also owns WhatsApp, did not mention the messaging app in its statement. The court has ordered the company to settle the fines by the end of June.

Requests for clarification from Meta regarding its next steps have so far gone unanswered, according to the BBC.

Facebook remains Nigeria’s leading social media platform, connecting tens of millions daily and serving as an essential tool for many small online businesses.

In July of last year, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta $220 million for alleged anti-competitive practices. The national advertising regulator followed with a $37.5 million penalty for unauthorized advertising. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) imposed a $32.8 million fine, accusing Meta of violating data privacy laws.

Adamu Abdullahi, the then chief executive of the FCCPC, said that investigations conducted alongside the data commission between May 2021 and December 2023 uncovered “invasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria,” though he did not elaborate on specific violations.

In its court documents, Meta expressed that its “primary concern” lies with the data commission, accusing the body of “misinterpreting” privacy regulations.

One of the commission’s requirements was for Meta to obtain prior approval before transferring any personal data outside Nigeria—a stipulation the company described as “unrealistic.”

Additionally, the NDPC mandated that Meta provide an icon linking users to educational videos on data privacy risks. These materials were to be produced in collaboration with government-endorsed educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.

The NDPC insisted that the content emphasize the dangers of “manipulative and unfair data processing” that could leave Nigerians vulnerable to health and financial risks.

Meta pushed back on the demands, labeling them unworkable and criticizing the commission for failing to “properly interpret the laws guiding data privacy.”

(BBC)