Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is warning of a possible shutdown of its services in Nigeria after losing a court case involving more than $290 million in fines.
Meta lost its case at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in Abuja where the media giant was slammed with fines by three Nigerian regulatory bodies, prompting Meta to reconsider its operations in the country.
Meta faces heavy fines in Nigeria over regulatory disputes
The fines include $220 million from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for alleged anti-competitive practices, $37.5 million from the Advertising Regulatory Council for unauthorised ads, and $32.8 million from the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over data privacy violations.
Meta expressed frustration over what it described as “unrealistic” regulatory conditions, especially the NDPC’s demand to get prior approval before transferring Nigerian user data abroad and producing educational content on privacy risks with government-backed institutions. The company warned that it might shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria to avoid further legal risks.
“The applicant may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures,” stated court filings seen by the BBC.
Social media shutdown could hit millions of Nigerian users
Facebook remains Nigeria’s most-used social media platform, serving tens of millions of users and countless small businesses. A shutdown would disrupt daily communication, social interactions, and e-commerce activities that depend heavily on the platform.
Although WhatsApp was not mentioned in Meta’s statement, the potential exit of Facebook and Instagram has triggered concern. These platforms are critical in Nigeria’s digital economy, especially for entrepreneurs and content creators.
Regulators argue that Meta violated Nigerian consumer and data protection laws between 2021 and 2023. They also accuse the tech giant of invasive practices, but have yet to specify exact violations. Meta insists the interpretation of local privacy laws is flawed and that the expectations set by the NDPC are impossible to meet at scale.
What’s next for Meta in Nigeria?
Meta has until the end of June 2025 to comply with the court ruling and pay the fines. However, no clear next steps have been confirmed. The company says it remains concerned about the legal environment and may be forced to exit to “mitigate the risk of enforcement.”