Meta threatened to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria after several government agencies were fined nearly $300 million.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined $220 million for alleged discriminatory practices, while Arcon demanded $37.5 million for unapproved ads, and NDPC fined $32.8 million for data breaches.
Meta called the demands “unrealistic” and challenged them in court, but the federal high court in Abuja upheld the fine and ordered payments at the end of June.
Meta indicates that it may not be in compliance.
“Applicants may be forced to effectively close Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria to mitigate the risks of law enforcement measures,” the company said in court filings.
In response to NDPC’s claim that Meta’s data processing could put Nigerian users at health and financial risks, the company said the agency failed to “correctly interpret the laws guiding data privacy.”
