The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Tribunal has affirmed a $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Inc. and its subsidiary, WhatsApp, over alleged discriminatory data practices against Nigerian users.
The verdict was delivered by a three-member tribunal chaired by Thomas Okosun, who also ordered Meta to pay an additional $35,000 to the FCCPC to cover the cost of its investigation.
FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, disclosed in a statement on Friday that the sanction was first issued on July 19, 2024, following a 38-month joint probe by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
The investigation uncovered multiple breaches of data privacy and consumer protection laws by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
Despite Meta’s appeal against the sanction, the tribunal dismissed the tech giant’s legal challenge, upholding the commission’s authority and actions.
The panel ruled that the FCCPC acted within its legal and constitutional mandate, and sustained the agency’s findings on nearly all disputed issues.
Meta and WhatsApp were represented by a legal team led by Gbolahan Elias (SAN), while FCCPC’s team was led by its former Executive Vice Chairman, Babatunde Irukera.
Reacting to the judgment, FCCPC’s current Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, hailed the ruling as a landmark victory that reaffirms the agency’s responsibility to protect Nigerian consumers and promote fair market practices.
Meta has, however, indicated its intention to appeal the tribunal’s decision.
