The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has resisted claims by Meta Platforms, WhatsApp’s parent company, that it may be forced to exit the Nigerian market, describing the move as a strategic attempt to manipulate public sentiment and pressure regulators.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said Meta’s move “appears to be a calculated attempt at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.”
Meta and WhatsApp (collectively referred to as the “Meta Parties”) have been under investigation by the FCCPC for allegedly violating provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
According to the Commission, the investigation revealed “multiple and repeated infringements” of both regulatory frameworks.
“These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions, and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies,” the FCCPC stated.
The Commission noted that such behaviour was consistent with Meta’s track record in other jurisdictions, citing high-profile penalties in the U.S. and Europe.
“Meta had been fined for similar breaches in Texas to the tune of $1.5 billion, and was only recently asked to pay $1.3 billion for violating E.U. data privacy rules,” the FCCPC highlighted.
“Elsewhere in India, South Korea, France, and Australia, Meta has faced varying penalties for similar breaches — but in those countries, they did not threaten to leave. They obeyed.”
