KEY POINTS
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Meta threatens to suspend Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria over $290M fines from antitrust, data privacy, and advertising regulators.
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A shutdown could disrupt 40 million users and 200,000 SMEs reliant on the platforms, impacting Nigeria’s digital economy.
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The dispute highlights tensions between global tech giants and African regulators pushing for stricter compliance and localization.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has issued a stark warning to Nigerian authorities, threatening to suspend its services in the country if $290 million in regulatory fines and “unfeasible compliance demands” are not renegotiated.
The fines, levied by three Nigerian agencies, stem from alleged violations of antitrust laws, data privacy breaches, and advertising regulations.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) accused Meta of anti-competitive practices, while the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) cited failures to comply with data localization rules. “Meta’s refusal to seek prior approval for cross-border data transfers undermines national security,” an NDPC spokesperson stated. Additionally, the advertising regulator imposed penalties for unapproved ad targeting practices.
SMEs and 40 million users face uncertainty
Nigeria’s 40 million Facebook users and thousands of small businesses relying on the platform for commerce could face severe disruptions if Meta follows through on its threat. Social media accounts for 62% of Nigeria’s digital economy, with over 200,000 SMEs using Facebook and Instagram for sales and marketing. “Shutting down these platforms would cripple livelihoods and erase years of digital progress,” said Adeola Ogunlade, founder of Lagos-based e-commerce collective NaijaMarket.
AAN TV reports that Meta has contested the fines in Nigerian courts since 2024 but lost key rulings earlier this year. The company now faces a June 30 deadline to pay or risk asset seizures. “The fines are disproportionate, and demands like producing educational videos on data privacy within 30 days are operationally unrealistic,” a Meta representative argued.
The standoff echoes Nigeria’s 2021 ban on Twitter (now X), which lasted seven months and cost the economy over $1.5 billion. Analysts warn a Meta exit could deepen foreign investor skepticism. “This risks painting Nigeria as hostile to tech innovation,” said Chidi Nwafor, director of Abuja-based think tank Digital Futures Africa.
Meanwhile, the FCCPC defended its actions, stating, “No corporation is above Nigerian law. Meta’s dominance has stifled local competitors, and accountability is non-negotiable.”
