Nigeria imposes $220 million fine on Meta for data protection violations
The fine, one of the largest by an African regulator on a global tech company, follows a 38-month investigation revealing Meta’s non-compliance with Nigeria’s Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, for ‘multiple and repeated’ breaches of local consumer data protection laws in a move to enforce data privacy regulations.
The FCCPC’s investigation into Meta began last year following Nigerian consumers’ complaints regarding personal data mishandling. The investigation revealed that Meta had failed to comply with several provisions of Nigeria’s data protection regulations, including obtaining proper consent from users before collecting their data and ensuring the security of the information gathered, a direct violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), following a 38 months investigation. The NDPR, enacted in 2019, mandates that organisations must seek explicit consent from individuals before collecting their personal information, aiming to safeguard the privacy of their citizens.
The fine is one of the largest penalties imposed by an African regulator on a global tech company. It signals a growing trend among nations to assert digital sovereignty and enforce stringent data protection measures. The action against Meta is expected to have far-reaching implications, prompting other multinational companies to reassess their data practices in Nigeria and potentially other African markets.
Why does this matter?
The company has faced similar regulatory challenges worldwide, including a $5 billion fine by the US Federal Trade Commission in 2019 for privacy violations, a €265 million fine by the Irish Data Protection Commission in 2022 for breaches of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and a $37 million fine by the competition board.
The following development highlights the regulatory pressure on technology companies to prioritise data protection. As digital services expand globally, enforcing stringent data privacy laws is becoming more critical. For Nigeria, the fine against Meta expresses the country’s commitment to holding multinational companies accountable and protecting the rights of its citizens in the digital landscape.
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