FCCPC: Meta Does Not Escape Liability After Threatening to Leave Nigeria

The FCCPC has maintained that Meta must be held accountable for its unfair tactics and data breaches, even though it has threatened to leave Nigeria.

The software giant Meta Platforms and its subsidiary, WhatsApp, have come under fire from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), which has warned that the corporation will not be exempt from legal responsibility if it threatens to stop providing services in Nigeria.

Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, released a forceful statement in which the Commission characterized Meta’s reported assertion that it might be forced to leave Nigeria as a “calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.”

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) were allegedly violated by Meta and WhatsApp, referred to in the statement as “Meta Parties,” which the Commission had previously looked into.

It concluded that “Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA (2018) and the NDPR,” according to the FCCPC. In addition to discriminating against Nigerian customers in comparison to other locations, these alleged breaches included “abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies,” denying Nigerians access over their personal data, and exchanging data without authorization.

The Commission pointed out that Meta has been subject to comparable scrutiny and sanctions in other jurisdictions, mentioning $1.3 billion in fines in the European Union and $1.5 billion in Texas for data privacy violations. However, Meta never used the threat of leaving those nations as a kind of blackmail. The statement made a clear point: “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,” the FCCPC said, reaffirming the legitimacy of its action.

As the Commission explained, “Threatening to leave Nigeria does not absolve Meta of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process.” This would not exempt Meta from accountability.

In closing, the FCCPC restated its dedication to data protection and consumer rights. To be clear, the FCCPC is still dedicated to protecting consumers and protecting data in order to create a more equitable digital market in Nigeria, the statement said.