Meta threatens to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria over $290 million fines

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned that it may be forced to discontinue operations of these platforms in Nigeria due to substantial fines totalling over $290 million and what it describes as “unrealistic” regulatory demands from Nigerian authorities. The announcement, made today, has sparked concerns among Nigeria’s 36.75 million social media users, for whom Facebook is a critical tool for communication, news sharing, and small business operations.

Last year, three Nigerian regulatory agencies imposed hefty penalties on Meta for alleged violations of local laws. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta $220 million for anti-competitive practices and data privacy violations, following a 38-month investigation conducted jointly with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC). The NDPC separately imposed a $32.8 million fine for breaches of data privacy laws, while the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) added a $37.5 million penalty for unapproved advertising. These fines, totalling about $290.3 million, represent one of the largest regulatory actions against a tech giant in Nigeria’s history.

Meta’s attempt to challenge these fines in the Federal High Court in Abuja was unsuccessful, with the court upholding the penalties and ordering the company to comply by the end of June 2025.

In court documents reviewed by The Africa Report, Meta stated, “The applicant may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in order to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures.” Notably, Meta did not mention WhatsApp, which it also owns and which boasts over 51 million users in Nigeria, in its statement.

Meta’s dispute with the Nigerian authorities 

The core of Meta’s dispute lies with the NDPC, which the company accuses of misinterpreting Nigeria’s data privacy laws, particularly the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.

The NDPC has demanded that Meta obtain prior approval before transferring any personal data out of Nigeria, a condition Meta deems “unrealistic” given the global nature of its operations. Additionally, the NDPC mandated that Meta provide an icon on its platforms linking to educational videos about data privacy risks, developed in collaboration with government-approved institutions and non-profits. These videos are intended to highlight the dangers of “manipulative and unfair data processing” that could expose users to health and financial risks. Meta has called these requirements unfeasible, arguing that they misalign with the legal framework governing data privacy.

FCCPC Chief Executive Officer Adamu Abdullahi has defended the fines, stating that investigations between May 2021 and December 2023 uncovered “invasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria”.

While specific details of these practices were not disclosed, the FCCPC accused Meta of discriminatory data handling, unauthorised data sharing, and abuse of market dominance. The agency’s findings were upheld by Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal in April 2025, which also ordered Meta to pay an additional $35,000 to cover investigative costs.

Nigeria, with 164 million internet subscriptions as of March 2025, is one of Meta’s largest markets in Africa. Facebook and Instagram are integral to the country’s digital ecosystem, particularly for small businesses that rely on these platforms for advertising and customer engagement. The potential loss of these services could have significant economic and social repercussions, especially among Nigeria’s youth, three-quarters of whom are under 24 and have grown up connected to social media.

This is not Meta’s first clash with Nigerian regulators. In 2023, ARCON sued Meta for ₦30 billion ($18 million at current rates) over unvetted advertisements, though the case was later discontinued. In July 2024, WhatsApp faced a $220 million fine for similar data privacy violations, prompting threats to exit Nigeria. Meta’s ongoing legal battles in three federal courts highlight the growing tension between the tech giant and Nigeria’s regulatory bodies.

Critics argue that Nigeria’s punitive regulatory approach, modelled after the European Union’s stringent data protection laws, may deter foreign investment in its nascent digital economy.

As the June deadline approaches, the outcome of this dispute will likely shape Nigeria’s digital future, balancing consumer protection with the need to foster a competitive tech ecosystem. For now, millions of Nigerians await clarity on whether they will lose access to platforms that have become indispensable to their daily lives.