Meta May Suspend Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp in Nigeria Over $290m Fines

Nigerians risk losing access to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp as Meta, the parent company of the platforms, threatens to halt its operations in the country due to mounting regulatory pressures and unresolved fines totaling over $290 million.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) imposed a $220 million fine on Meta for alleged anti-competitive practices. Nigeria’s advertising regulator followed with a $37.5 million penalty for running unapproved ads, while the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) hit the tech giant with a $32.8 million fine for data privacy breaches.

Efforts by Meta to overturn the sanctions were unsuccessful, as the Federal High Court in Abuja upheld the penalties. The court has given Meta until the end of June 2025 to comply and settle the fines.

Meta argues that Nigeria’s regulatory demands are excessive and misaligned with global data protection standards. Among the contested requirements is a rule mandating the company to seek prior approval before transferring any personal data out of Nigeria—a move Meta deems unworkable.

Another condition set by the NDPC requires Meta to display an icon linking users to government-approved educational content on data privacy risks.

With Facebook being the most used social media platform in Nigeria, and Instagram and WhatsApp also playing crucial roles in communication and business, any suspension of services could disrupt daily life and impact millions of users.

As the deadline looms, Meta’s next steps will determine the future of its services in one of Africa’s largest digital markets.