The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said that Meta Platforms Inc. cannot evade accountability in Nigeria by threatening to exit the country, insisting that the tech giant must comply with local regulations and face the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings.
The Commission’s response comes amid reports that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, warned in a court filing that it might shut down its operations in Nigeria following a $220 million fine imposed on the company in July 2024.
Okay.ng reports that the penalty was issued after the FCCPC found Meta and WhatsApp—collectively referred to as the Meta Parties—in violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
In a statement released on Saturday and signed by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC criticized the company’s threat, calling it a deliberate attempt to manipulate public opinion and pressure the agency into reversing its enforcement action.
“WhatsApp’s claim that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to FCCPC’s recent order appears to be a calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision,” the statement read.
“The FCCPC investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”) for allegedly violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation.
“Interestingly, Meta had been fined for similar breaches in Texas ($1.5bn) and only recently was asked to pay $1.3 Billion for violating E.U. Data Privacy Rules.
“Elsewhere in India, South Korea, France and Australia, Meta had faced varying penalties for similar breaches.”
FCCPC’s statement further read.”But Meta never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries. They obeyed.
“The recent affirmation of FCCPC’s final order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights, consistent with international best practices.
“Threatening to leave Nigeria does not absolve Meta of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the FCCPC remains committed in its pursuit of consumer protection and data privacy towards ensuring a fairer digital market in Nigeria.”
