Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, plans to appeal a $220 million fine imposed by Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for violating the country’s data privacy laws.
In a statement released on Saturday, WhatsApp expressed disagreement with both the decision and the fine.
“We disagree with the decision today as well as the fine and Meta will be appealing the decision,” the statement said. It also noted that in 2021,
WhatsApp had informed users globally about changes in how they interact with businesses, which proved to be popular despite initial confusion.
The FCCPC’s acting Executive Chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, announced that Meta had denied Nigerian users control over their data and shared their information without consent. The commission also accused Meta of abusing its market dominance.
The FCCPC’s final order imposed the $220 million fine in accordance with the FCCPA 2018 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (Administrative Penalties) Regulations 2020. The investigation, which began in May 2021, found that Meta had breached several data protection regulations, including the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.
Despite Meta providing information and cooperating with the investigation, the FCCPC uncovered evidence of Meta engaging in abusive and invasive practices towards Nigerian data consumers. These included collecting personal data without consent and implementing discriminatory practices.
Meta, based in Menlo Park, California, operates several major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. The company now faces a significant legal battle as it contests the FCCPC’s decision.