The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission FCCPC has responded to a reported threat by Meta Platforms Inc the owners of WhatsApp to exit Nigeria describing it as a strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and pressuring the commission to reverse its earlier decisions.
In a statement issued over the weekend by FCCPC spokesman Ondaje Ijagwu the commission said that leaving the Nigerian market will not exempt Meta from any legal consequences or responsibilities for past actions.
The statement followed a ruling by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal which affirmed the commission’s final order requiring Meta to comply with Nigerian laws.
The FCCPC said it investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp for multiple violations of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act FCCPA and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation NDPR.
According to the commission Meta was found guilty of denying Nigerians control over their personal data unlawfully transferring user data discriminating against Nigerian users compared to those in other countries and abusing its market position through unfair privacy policies.
The FCCPC pointed out that Meta had faced fines in other countries including 1.5 billion dollars in Texas and 1.3 billion dollars in the European Union without threatening to exit those markets. It also cited India South Korea France and Australia as examples where Meta complied with penalties without resorting to threats.
The commission reiterated that the tribunal’s order requires Meta to stop exploiting Nigerian users align with national standards and uphold consumer rights in line with global best practices.
It concluded by stating that the threat to leave Nigeria does not free Meta from the judicial process and affirmed its commitment to protecting consumers and enforcing data privacy in Nigeria.
