Nigeria Slaps Meta with $220 Million Fine for Violations

Nigeria has imposed a hefty $220 million fine on US tech giant Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, for breaching antitrust, data protection, and consumer rights laws.

Accusations Against Meta

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) accused Meta of discriminatory practices, abuse of market dominance, unauthorized sharing of personal data, and denying Nigerians control over their data. The FCCPC conducted a 38-month investigation, uncovering evidence of invasive data practices.

Popular Platforms in Nigeria

Nigeria, with 164 million internet subscriptions, has a tech-savvy youth demographic with significant social media usage. WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram are highly popular in the country, evidenced by over 51 million WhatsApp users.

The Nigerian government’s action follows an EU probe into Meta’s antitrust and data violations. Meta has not responded to the allegations yet.

sdi/ab (AFP, AP)