Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram has warned of suspending its services ie.(Facebook and Instagram).
The threat stems from what the company termed as ‘unrealistic’ regulatory demands from the Nigerian authorities.
Three oversight agencies imposed fines on the social networking platform which amounted to $290 million(£218 million) last year.
Offences committed by Facebook include, violation of data privacy laws, anti-competitive practices, unauthorized advertisement.
It was a futile venture when Meta challenged the decision in the federal high court in Abuja.
The company in response to the fines in court papers noted that it may shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to reduce the possibility of enforcement actions.
Although Meta owns WhatsApp it did not mention the social networking platform in its statement.
The fines must be paid by the end of June, according to the order.
Facebook is widely used by Nigerians for business, sharing information, communication with family and friends, and connecting with business partners.
Meta was asked to pay three fines in July 2024 by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
FCCPC chief executive officer Adamu Abdullahi stressed that his outfit collaborated with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to conduct an investigation into the operations of Meta from May 2021 to December 2023, and the findings showed invasive practices against data consumers in Nigeria. He did not, however, specify what these were.
Meta in its defence in court submission, accused the data commission of ‘misinterpreting’ data privacy laws.
The commission has asked Meta to obtain permission before transferring user personal data outside of Nigeria; a demand the company considers “unrealistic.”
Another demand the commission imposed on Meta included providing an icon linking to educational videos about data privacy risks. Nonprofits and government-approved institutions will work together to produce such content.
This content must outline the dangers of “manipulative and unfair data processing,” including the possibility of consumers suffering financial consequences.
The commission’s demands have been met with criticism from Meta indicating that the agency has failed to properly interpret the laws governing data privacy.
