In February 2025, Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission (NDPC) imposed a USD 32.8 million fine on Meta Platforms Inc., alongside eight corrective orders.
The fine resulted from a joint investigation conducted by NDPC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) between May 2021 and December 2023. Investigators found Meta collected user data for targeted marketing (including WhatsApp business messaging) without obtaining explicit user consent, in breach of consent requirements under the NDPA. NDPC further mandated prior approval before Meta transfers personal data out of Nigeria. Besides the NDPC penalty, FCCPC fined Meta USD 220 million and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) imposed USD 37.5 million in fines, bringing aggregate penalties above USD 290 million.
On 3 May 2025, Meta filed documents at the Federal High Court arguing that NDPC had “misinterpreted data‑privacy law”, and warned it might be forced to shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria if regulatory demands could not be met. As stated in Meta’s court filing: “The applicant may be compelled to effectively shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria to mitigate risks from enforcement measures.” Adamu Abdullahi, CEO of FCCPC, emphasised that “the investigation uncovered intrusive practices targeting Nigerian data subjects / consumers”. Nigeria hosts more than 51 million WhatsApp users plus tens of millions of Facebook users; a Meta withdrawal would deliver severe impacts on local small businesses and day‑to‑day communications. Ultimately the parties signed a confidential settlement agreement on 30 October 2025, resolving the fine dispute out of court.In February 2025, Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission (NDPC) imposed a USD 32.8 million fine on Meta Platforms Inc., alongside eight corrective orders.
The fine resulted from a joint investigation conducted by NDPC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) between May 2021 and December 2023. Investigators found Meta collected user data for targeted marketing (including WhatsApp business messaging) without obtaining explicit user consent, in breach of consent requirements under the NDPA. NDPC further mandated prior approval before Meta transfers personal data out of Nigeria. Besides the NDPC penalty, FCCPC fined Meta USD 220 million and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) imposed USD 37.5 million in fines, bringing aggregate penalties above USD 290 million.
On 3 May 2025, Meta filed documents at the Federal High Court arguing that NDPC had “misinterpreted data‑privacy law”, and warned it might be forced to shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria if regulatory demands could not be met. As stated in Meta’s court filing: “The applicant may be compelled to effectively shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria to mitigate risks from enforcement measures.” Adamu Abdullahi, CEO of FCCPC, emphasised that “the investigation uncovered intrusive practices targeting Nigerian data subjects / consumers”. Nigeria hosts more than 51 million WhatsApp users plus tens of millions of Facebook users; a Meta withdrawal would deliver severe impacts on local small businesses and day‑to‑day communications. Ultimately the parties signed a confidential settlement agreement on 30 October 2025, resolving the fine dispute out of court.
