Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has served notice of service withdrawal from Nigeria after mounting pressures from regulators and court-mandated fines exceeding $290 million.
In newly surfaced court documents, Meta said it was considering shutting down Facebook and Instagram in the country to avoid enforcement actions after losing a legal battle in the federal high court in Abuja. The case stems from three Nigerian regulatory bodies that imposed large penalties on the U.S.-based social media giant last year.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission levied a fine of $220 million for anti-competitive behavior. Separately, the advertising regulator fined Meta $37.5 million for unapproved adverts, and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission demanded $32.8 million for alleged violations of privacy laws.
Meta’s strongest objection is against the data commission’s demand that it must obtain prior approval before transferring any Nigerian user data out of the country—an expectation the company called “unrealistic.”
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The NDPC also required Meta to produce educational videos warning about the risks of improper data usage, in partnership with Nigerian-approved institutions and NGOs.
While WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, was not included in the threat or the court filings, the potential loss of Facebook and Instagram would represent a major digital disruption. Facebook alone serves tens of millions of users in Nigeria and is a critical platform for communication, news sharing, and small business marketing.
Meta claimed the NDPC has misinterpreted data privacy laws and that the demands made are neither feasible nor aligned with global practices. The company has until the end of June to comply with the fines or risk further legal and regulatory actions.
With regulatory tensions rising, the future of Meta’s services in Nigeria remains uncertain, raising concerns among users, digital marketers, and e-commerce businesses who rely heavily on the platforms for daily operations.
Crediblenewsng.com
