Nigeria’s FCCPC Hits Meta with $220 Million Fine For Data Use Violations 

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has fined Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, $220 million for violating data privacy laws in Nigeria. This penalty was conveyed through a statement on Friday signed by Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, Acting Chief Executive Officer, FCCPC.

In the statement, the FCCPC accused Meta of several infractions. This included unauthorised data transfers, cross-border data storage, and discriminatory practices against Nigerian users. The investigation, from May 2021 to December 2023, was conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

The FCCPC detailed that Meta’s actions denied Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determine their personal information, engaged in discriminatory practices, and abused its market dominance. Meta was found to have misused personal data without consent and enforced privacy policies that exploited consumer information.

This decision comes shortly after the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday,  dismissed a separate N30 billion lawsuit against Meta for alleged illegal advertisements.

The story is developing…

Read Also: Shareholders Condemn Tinubu’s Plan To Impose 50 Percent Windfall Tax on Banks’ Forex Gains

Senator Ndume Declines Appointment as Senate Committee Chairman on Tourism

Niger, Turkey Agree To Strengthen Cooperation in Energy and Defence

About The Author

Confidence Ubani

author

See author's posts