Nigerians may soon lose access to Facebook and Instagram as tech giant, Meta considers shutting down both platforms in the country due to mounting fines and stringent regulatory demands imposed by Nigerian authorities.
Meta, the US-based parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is facing over $290 million (₦436billion) in fines from Nigerian regulatory bodies, following accusations of data privacy violations, unapproved advertising, and anti-competitive practices.
Last year, three major Nigerian agencies —the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) — jointly imposed penalties on Meta after investigations into the company’s operations in Nigeria from May 2021 to December 2023.
Here’s a breakdown of the fines: $220 million by the FCCPC for alleged anti-competitive practices. $37.5 million by ARCON over unapproved and non-compliant advertising content and $32.8 million by NDPC for breaching Nigeria’s data privacy laws.
According to BBC, in a legal filing submitted to the Federal High Court in Abuja, Meta revealed that its services in Nigeria —specifically Facebook and Instagram — could be suspended to avoid the risks associated with potential enforcement measures.
“The applicant may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures,” Meta said in court documents.
The company’s appeal against the fines was recently dismissed by the Federal High Court, which has now given Meta until the end of June 2025 to comply with payment.
While WhatsApp remains unaffected for now, Meta has expressed concern particularly with the NDPC’s regulatory stance. The data protection agency has demanded that Meta obtain prior approval before transferring any Nigerian user data abroad — a condition Meta described as “unrealistic.”
Integrate an educational icon into its platforms linking to government-approved videos about data privacy risks.
Collaborate with local institutions and NGOs to create this content, focusing on the dangers of manipulative data processing and its potential impact on users’ financial and health data.
Meta has criticized the commission’s directives as vague and impractical, accusing the NDPC of misinterpreting Nigeria’s data protection laws.
Facebook is the most widely used social media platform in Nigeria, with tens of millions relying on it for daily communication, news, and e-commerce. A shutdown could have significant consequences for individuals, businesses, and digital marketers across the country.
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