Meta announced its intention to appeal the decision of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT), which upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCP) on its data practices.
The fine comes after a 38-month investigation by the FCCPC in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which was between 2021 and December 2023.
The investigation found that unauthorized data sharing, inadequate user consent mechanisms and evidence of discriminatory practices differed from Nigerian consumers compared with consumers in other regions. In July 2024, FCCPC violated Nigeria’s data protection and consumer rights laws and fined Meta and WhatsApp $220 million. In addition, the ruling requires corrective measures to ensure that META’s business practices comply with Nigerian regulations.
In a decision taken on Friday, April 25, the court upheld the fine, reaffirming the authority and investigation process of the FCCPC. The court also ordered Meta to pay an additional $35,000 to cover the costs incurred during the investigation.
However, Meta said in a statement Saturday, April 26 that Meta expressed disagreement with the court’s ruling, which would urgently seek to appeal the decision and apply for execution. “We urgently apply for ongoing orders and decide today to avoid any impact on users,” WhatsApp said.
The company also challenged the court’s findings, claiming the ruling misrepresented how WhatsApp works and contained inaccuracies about its data practices.
