Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has warned it may be forced to cut off its services in Nigeria over what it called “unrealistic” regulatory demands and massive fines from local authorities.
Three Nigerian agencies last year fined the tech giant a total of $290 million (about N290 billion), including for data privacy violations and anti-competitive practices. A Federal High Court in Abuja recently ruled against Meta’s challenge to the fines.
In court filings, Meta said it might have to “effectively shut down Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria” if forced to comply. WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, was not mentioned in the statement.
One of the biggest concerns came from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, which accused Meta of misusing user data and demanded that the company seek prior approval before transferring data abroad — a requirement Meta described as “unrealistic.”
The High Court has ordered Meta to pay the fines by the end of June.
Facebook remains Nigeria’s most widely used social media platform, relied upon by millions for communication, news, and online business.
