Meta Platforms, parent company of WhatsApp, appears to be testing Nigeria’s resolve with its threat to exit the country following a final order by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). But quitting the market does not exempt the company from liability for breaches already established under Nigerian law.
Following a thorough investigation, the FCCPC found Meta and WhatsApp—jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”—in repeated violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). Offences include unauthorized transfer and sharing of Nigerians’ personal data, discriminatory treatment of Nigerian users relative to other jurisdictions, and the abuse of Meta’s dominant market position through unfair privacy policies.
These are not isolated incidents. Meta has faced similar sanctions globally: fined $1.5 billion in Texas and ordered to pay $1.3 billion in the European Union over data privacy breaches. Other jurisdictions—including India, South Korea, France, and Australia—have penalized Meta without eliciting threats of withdrawal. In all those cases, Meta complied.
In contrast, the company’s posture in Nigeria, marked by veiled threats of exit, seems designed to provoke public outcry and pressure regulators. However, the recent affirmation of FCCPC’s final order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal mandates Meta to comply with Nigerian law and adopt practices that protect consumer rights in line with global standards.
The FCCPC remains firm: Meta’s liability is rooted in legal findings, and an exit—real or threatened—does not erase responsibility.
