Meta Platforms Inc. / WhatsApp LLC

Administrative fine imposed; upheld on appeal. FCCPC, 19 July 2024.

Record ID

ng-fccpc-2024-0001

Jurisdiction

Nigeria

Regulator

FCCPC

Type

penalty notice

Date decided

19 July 2024

Respondent type

private

Sector

technology

Violations

data collection without consent, discriminatory and exploitative practices, unlawful tying of services

Provisions cited

FCCPA 2018, NDPR 2019

Outcome

administrative fine imposed; upheld on appeal

Penalty

USD 220,000,000 (≈ USD 220,000,000 at the decision date)

Status

final

Source

Official document ↗

Source integrity

SHA-256 9f0e3e6cd80872f4…

Record verified

30 July 2026

The facts

A 38-month joint investigation by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, initiated in 2020, examined the conduct, privacy practices and consumer data policies of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp. On 19 July 2024 the FCCPC issued a Final Order imposing a 220 million dollar administrative penalty, concluding that the companies engaged in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers. Meta and WhatsApp appealed to the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, which on 25 April 2025 affirmed the Commission's authority and actions in nearly all contested issues, held that the privacy policy in question offended Nigerian law, found no violation of due process, and set aside only Order 7 of the Final Order for lacking sufficient legal basis.

Orders and outcome

The Tribunal awarded the sum of 220 million US dollars against Meta Platforms Incorporated and WhatsApp LLC as an administrative penalty and a further 35,000 dollars to the FCCPC as cost of investigation. Judgment delivered 25 April 2025 by a three-member panel led by Honorable Thomas Okosun.

BIG-TECH · CONSENT · CONSUMER-PROTECTION · RECORD-PENALTY

Cite this decision

Track Nigeria enforcement

Get decision alerts by email

Tell us your jurisdictions and we email you when a regulator's decision passes verification. Privacy.