Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp, has been directed to pay a staggering $220 million fine to Nigerian authorities following a decisive ruling by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal.
The tribunal’s order, issued on Friday, April 25, 2025, reinforces the penalty previously imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), which found Meta and its subsidiary WhatsApp culpable of breaching Nigeria’s data protection laws and consumer rights.
This landmark judgment follows a 38-month-long joint investigation between the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which commenced in May 2021. Investigators concluded that Meta had engaged in the unauthorized transfer of personal data belonging to over 51 million Nigerian users, failed to provide appropriate consent mechanisms, and discriminated against Nigerian users when compared to its treatment of consumers in other countries.
According to the FCCPC, these actions are in direct violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) of 2018.
In its defense, Meta had appealed the ruling, challenging the severity of the penalty and questioning the FCCPC’s authority on data privacy matters, which the company claimed fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of the NDPC. Meta also argued that the directives issued by the FCCPC were overly broad and technically infeasible under Nigerian legal standards.
Nonetheless, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal dismissed Meta’s objections, asserting that the FCCPC operated within its legal mandate and provided Meta with sufficient opportunity to respond during the course of the investigation.
Under the terms of the ruling, Meta and WhatsApp must immediately cease all forms of unauthorized data sharing involving Nigerian users, especially with third-party platforms such as Facebook. Furthermore, the companies are required to reintroduce consent-based data sharing protocols, empowering Nigerian users to control how their personal information is used. This includes reinstating their 2016 data-sharing policy, which had more transparent and user-friendly consent features.
Meta has also been instructed to submit a comprehensive compliance report to both the FCCPC and NDPC by July 1, 2025. In addition to the $220 million fine, the tech giant must reimburse the FCCPC with $35,000 to cover the expenses incurred during the investigation.
The ruling marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s data protection enforcement landscape and sends a strong message to international technology corporations about the necessity of respecting local regulatory frameworks. It also highlights the Nigerian government’s intensified stance on safeguarding digital consumer rights in the face of growing global scrutiny over data governance.
With this judgment, Nigeria joins a growing list of nations taking a hardline approach to data privacy, reiterating that multinational companies operating within its borders must adhere to its laws or face substantial consequences.
