On July 19, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) announced a $220 million fine against Meta Platforms, Inc. and WhatsApp LLC (collectively referred to as “Meta Parties”) for repeated violations of data privacy laws in Nigeria. 

This decision follows a 38-month joint investigation by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

According to Adamu Abdullahi, FCCPC’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, the investigation revealed that Meta Parties engaged in abusive and invasive practices, such as appropriating personal data without consent and discriminatory treatment of Nigerian data subjects compared to other jurisdictions. 

The Final Order mandates Meta Parties to comply with national laws, cease exploitative practices, and imposes a substantial penalty as per the FCCPA 2018 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (Administrative Penalties) Regulations 2020.