The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has fired back at Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp, accusing it of attempting to blackmail Nigerian authorities following threats to exit the country over a recent regulatory order.
In a bold statement issued by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs at FCCPC, the Commission criticized WhatsApp’s response to a recent ruling by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, which upheld the FCCPC’s final order requiring Meta to comply with Nigerian consumer protection and data privacy laws.
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“WhatsApp’s claim that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to FCCPC’s recent order appears to be a calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision,” Ijagwu said.
The FCCPC had launched an investigation into Meta Platforms and WhatsApp—jointly referred to as the “Meta Parties”—over alleged violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The investigation revealed “multiple and repeated infringements,” including unauthorized transfer and sharing of Nigerian user data, discriminatory practices against Nigerian users, and the imposition of unfair privacy policies, according to the FCCPC.“
The Commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA (2018) and the NDPR.
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,” Ijagwu elaborated.
Ijagwu further pointed out that Meta has previously faced significant penalties in other jurisdictions for similar offenses, but never resorted to exit threats.
“Interestingly, Meta had been fined for similar breaches in Texas ($1.5b) and only recently was asked to pay $1.3 Billion for violating E.U. Data Privacy Rules. Elsewhere in India, South Korea, France and Australia, Meta had faced varying penalties for similar breaches. But Meta never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries. They obeyed,” he noted.
The FCCPC emphasized that the Tribunal’s affirmation of its order signals a legal and regulatory benchmark that Meta must respect, warning that any exit from Nigeria will not exempt the company from accountability.
“The recent affirmation of FCCPC’s final order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights, consistent with international best practices,” Ijagwu stated.
He added, “Threatening to leave Nigeria does not absolve Meta of liabilities for the outcome of a judicial process.”
Reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to regulatory enforcement, Ijagwu concluded, “For the avoidance of doubt, the FCCPC remains committed in its pursuit of consumer protection and data privacy towards ensuring a fairer digital market in Nigeria.”
The standoff between Nigeria’s leading consumer protection authority and one of the world’s biggest tech conglomerates has now taken a combative turn, setting the stage for a potentially precedent-setting clash over digital rights and corporate accountability in Africa’s largest tech market.
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