Meta To Appeal $220 Million Fine By FCCPC, Says WhatsApp

By Halima Abdulkadiri

WhatsApp announced that its parent company, Meta, will appeal the $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for violating Nigeria’s data privacy laws.

In a statement provided to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos, WhatsApp expressed disagreement with the FCCPC’s decision and the imposed fine, stating, “We disagree with the decision today as well as the fine and Meta will be appealing the decision. In 2021, we informed users globally about changes in how interactions with businesses would work. While initially confusing, these changes have since become quite popular.”

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The FCCPC’s decision, signed by Acting Executive Chairman Adamu Abdullahi, accused Meta of denying Nigerian users control over their data, sharing data without consent, and abusing its market dominance. The commission’s final order imposed a $220 million penalty on Meta, in line with the FCCPA 2018 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (Administrative Penalties) Regulations 2020.

The FCCPC initiated its investigation in May 2021, based on evidence that Meta had breached the FCCPA 2018 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019. These regulations were in place before the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 came into effect.

During the investigation, Meta responded to document requests and summons, providing some information and engaging with the commission and the NDPC as recently as April 4, 2024. The investigation uncovered evidence of Meta’s abusive and invasive practices towards data consumers in Nigeria, including collecting personal data without consent and implementing discriminatory practices.

Meta Platforms, Inc., an American multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California, owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, among other products and services.