FCCPC to Meta: Your Exit Threat Doesn’t Erase Your Legal Duties
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has responded to Meta’s recent comments about possibly pulling out of Nigeria, making it clear—quitting doesn’t wipe the slate clean.
In a bold statement issued by the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC said ongoing legal actions against the tech giant will not be influenced by public sympathy or corporate ultimatums.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, had earlier hinted at shutting down its services in Nigeria due to what it called “unrealistic enforcement risks.” But the FCCPC isn’t buying it.
Back in July 2024, the Commission slammed Meta with a $220 million fine for violating Nigeria’s competition and data protection laws. The charges followed an extensive probe into the company’s handling of Nigerian users’ personal information and its market behavior.
The FCCPC’s investigation found repeated violations, including unauthorized data sharing, unfair treatment of Nigerian users compared to those in other regions, and strong-arm tactics with privacy policies.
The recent ruling by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal didn’t just back the fine—it reinforced the expectation that Meta must comply with Nigerian regulations, stop harmful practices, and treat users fairly.
Meta has faced similar consequences abroad. From a $1.5 billion fine in Texas to a €1.3 billion penalty in the EU, plus more in India, South Korea, France, and Australia, the company has had its fair share of legal reckonings. But in those countries, it followed the rules without threats of exiting.
The FCCPC made it clear: threats won’t shake them.
“The suggestion that WhatsApp or its parent company would exit Nigeria feels more like an attempt to rally public outcry than a genuine business decision,” the Commission’s statement read. “Leaving the country won’t make the legal issues disappear.”
The agency emphasized it remains firm in protecting consumer rights and upholding data privacy in Nigeria’s digital space.
In short? Meta might be used to calling the shots—but in Nigeria, the rules apply to everyone.
