Exit Threat: FCCPC Insists Meta Must Comply with Nigerian Law
By Patience Ikpeme
The Federal Competition & Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has responded to reports that the owner of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp may withdraw operations from Nigeria, describing the move as a deliberate attempt to provoke public sentiment and possibly pressure the Commission into reversing its decision.
The Commission stated that the recent decision by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, which upheld FCCPC’s final order, compels Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”) to align their operations with Nigerian laws.
In a statement issued on Sunday, FCCPC spokesperson Mr. Ondaje Ijagwu said the Commission had investigated the Meta Parties for alleged violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
According to the FCCPC, its investigation revealed that the Meta Parties repeatedly breached both the FCCPA and the NDPR. These breaches included denying Nigerian users control over their personal data, transferring and sharing user data without proper authorisation, discriminatory treatment of Nigerian users compared to those in other countries, and using their dominant market position to enforce unfair privacy policies.
The Commission drew parallels with other jurisdictions where Meta has faced similar regulatory actions without threatening to exit.
“Meta was fined $1.5 billion in Texas and was recently ordered to pay $1.3 billion for breaching European Union data privacy rules. In India, South Korea, France, and Australia, the company has faced sanctions for similar conduct. Yet, in none of these instances did Meta threaten to leave. They complied,” the statement noted.
Following the tribunal’s decision, the FCCPC’s final order requires Meta to stop exploitative practices, modify its data handling and privacy operations to conform with Nigerian regulations, and respect the rights of Nigerian consumers in line with global standards.
The Commission warned that threatening to leave the country does not exempt Meta from responsibility nor the consequences of legal rulings.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the FCCPC remains firmly committed to protecting consumer rights and ensuring data privacy as part of building a fair and competitive digital marketplace in Nigeria,” the statement added.
