Meta, the owners of WhatsApp and Facebook, cannot avoid responsibility by threatening to leave Nigeria, says the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a statement posted on their official X handle, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said Meta and WhatsApp were found to have broken Nigerian laws by misusing users’ personal data, sharing it without consent, and treating Nigerian users unfairly.
The Commission noted that Meta has paid huge fines for similar actions in countries like the U.S., France, and India—but never threatened to exit those markets. So why now?
FCCPC believes Meta’s exit threat is a pressure tactic and says it won’t work. The Commission insists Meta must follow Nigerian laws, change its practices, and respect users’ rights—just like they do elsewhere.
Quitting Nigeria doesn’t cancel their legal obligations. FCCPC says it remains committed to protecting Nigerian consumers in the digital space.
We had previously reported that Meta threatened to exit Nigeria due to fines by FCCPC and other government agencies.
