Nigerian regulator slaps Meta with $220m fine over data abuse claims

BREAKING NEWSJuly 23, 2024 at 12:02 PM UTC

TLDR

FCCPC fines Meta, parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, $220 million for misusing Nigerian users' data.
Three-year investigation by FCCPC and NDPC from May 2021 to December 2023 alleged violations of FCCPC Act 2018 and Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.
Meta plans to appeal the decision, denies allegations, cooperated with authorities during investigation.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has fined Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, a substantial $220 million (over ₦300 billion), accusing the company of misusing Nigerian users' data.

This follows a three-year investigation conducted by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) from May 2021 to December 2023. The commissions allege that Meta violated multiple laws, including the FCCPC Act 2018 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019 (NDPR).

Meta has expressed its disagreement with the allegations and the fine and plans to appeal the decision. Throughout the investigation, the company reportedly cooperated with authorities, and the FCCPC acknowledged that Meta engaged with investigators as recently as April 2024.

Key Takeaways

This is not the first instance of Meta being fined or accused of sharing users' data. In May 2024, court documents revealed that Meta had given Netflix access to Facebook users' direct messages, enabling Netflix to tailor its ads more effectively using the data. On a positive note, content creators in Nigeria can now earn money from ad revenue on Meta platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, providing new monetization opportunities.

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