Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned it could shut down its services in Nigeria if ongoing disputes with regulatory bodies remain unresolved. The tech giant is facing close to $300 million in fines and says Nigeria’s data protection demands are excessive and unrealistic.
At least three government agencies have penalised Meta this year. The federal competition watchdog imposed a $220 million fine, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) issued a penalty of ₦60 billion (about $37.5 million), and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) added another $32.8 million. Altogether, Meta is now facing fines totalling approximately $290.3 million.
The core of the dispute lies in Nigeria’s strict data protection requirements. Among the conditions is a rule that Meta must obtain explicit approval from the NDPC before transferring any user data out of the country. In court documents reviewed by The Africa Report, Meta argued that these conditions are impractical and based on a flawed interpretation of data privacy laws.
The NDPC has also directed Meta to add a visible link on its platforms for Nigerian users, leading to educational content about the risks of manipulative and unfair data practices. These videos will be developed in collaboration with approved NGOs and academic institutions.
Meta says the demands place an unreasonable burden on its operations in Nigeria. “The applicant (Meta) may be forced to effectively shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria,” Meta stated in its filings, citing the risk of enforcement actions due to non-compliance.
This isn’t the first time Meta has clashed with Nigerian authorities. In 2024, WhatsApp—also owned by Meta—threatened to pull out of the country after being fined $220 million. Although the company appealed, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upheld the fine and added $35,000 in investigative fees. Meta is currently fighting related legal battles in three federal courts.
