Meta fined $220 million by Nigerian government over abusive and invasive data practices

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has fined Meta, parent of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, $220 million for abusive and invasive practices relating to the data of its Nigerian users.

FCCPC made the announcement today via its X account, sharing that the commission’s findings were released after a 38-month investigation between May 2021 and December 2023.

The investigation found that Meta has been involved in “denying Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determine; unauthorised transfer and sharing of Nigerian data-subjects personal data; discrimination and disparate treatment, abuse of dominance, tying and bundling.

Meta has rejected the findings of the FCCPC. “We disagree with both this decision and the fine and will appeal,” a WhatsApp spokesperson told Bendada.com

This news comes after a federal high court in Abuja today struck out a ₦30 billion ‘illegal advertisement’ suit by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) against Meta.

This is a developing story...