Meta threatens Nigeria exit as data privacy battle escalates
Meta may shut down its operations in Nigeria entirely if the regulatory storm doesn’t let up soon.
Last week, Techloy reported that Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upheld a $220 million fine against Meta, after a 38-month investigation found that the company was sharing Nigerian users’ data with third parties without proper consent.
But that was just the beginning.
Kelechi Edeh
In the days that followed, two more government agencies piled on. The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) slapped Meta with a separate ₦60 billion ($37.5 million) fine for allegedly running unapproved digital ads. Then the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) added another $32.8 million, bringing Meta’s total liabilities in Nigeria to $290.3 million.
Having had enough of it, Meta argued in court documents obtained by The Africa Report that the regulations were excessive and vague, particularly the NDPC’s requirement that the company get explicit approval before transferring Nigerian user data abroad.
Kelechi Edeh
Additionally, Nigerian regulators are asking Meta to create a dedicated in-app link for Nigerian users, leading to educational content on "manipulative and unfair data practices" produced in collaboration with NDPC-selected NGOs and universities.
But Meta says these demands amount to micromanagement, and in a striking warning, stated that it “may be forced to effectively shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria.” This threat is disturbing because Nigeria’s 40 million Facebook users and countless Instagram users could lose access to the platforms over what started as a fight about data privacy.
This also isn’t the first time Meta has raised the exit card. Back in August 2024, WhatsApp hinted it might pull out of Nigeria over similar privacy concerns. That didn’t materialize, but this time feels different. With three major regulators on its case and the courts ruling against it, Meta is clearly on the defensive.
Still, the threat raises eyebrows. After all, Meta has faced far larger fines in Europe, including a record $1.3 billion data privacy penalty, without ever threatening to leave the region. Which begs the question: why does Nigeria get the exit card?
For now, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp remain available in Nigeria. But with over $290 million in fines hanging over its head, Meta’s future in one of its biggest African markets is anything but certain.
Loy Okezie
