Meta To Settle $32.8M Data Privacy Fine From Nigerian Regulator
Meta and the Nigerian government have reached an out-of-court settlement to resolve a $32.8 million fine issued by the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC). In February, the NDPC issued the fine, stating that Meta had violated Nigeria’s Data Protection Act by practicing behavioral advertising on Facebook and Instagram, according to Techpoint Africa.
The regulator claimed that Meta failed to obtain the explicit consent of Nigerian users before transferring their data out of the country.
NDPC settling a $32.8 million fine
On Friday, October 3, Fred Onwuobia, Meta’s lawyer, shared that both parties are in the advanced stages of settling the case, highlighting that a court ruling at this point could disrupt ongoing negotiations. Adeola Adedipe, the lawyer for the NDPC, confirmed Met’a’s stance and stated that settlement talks had progressed.
The presiding judge, James Omotosho, subsequently adjourned the case to October 31, 2025, to either give a ruling on the case or adopt the terms of the settlement.
In addition to imposing a fine, the NDPC instructed Meta to revise its privacy policies, obtain user consent before engaging in behavioral advertising, conduct a data privacy impact assessment, and cease transferring user data outside the country without prior approval.
Meta facing fines from Nigerian regulators
This $32.8 million fine is one of three significant fines Meta has faced from Nigerian regulators since 2024. Meta threatened to shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria after losing a court appeal over $290 million in fines tied to regulatory and data privacy violations.
The showdown began in 2021 when Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) launched an investigation into WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy.
The agency, along with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and the national advertising regulator, accused Meta of multiple infractions. These include sharing user data without authorization, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other markets, and imposing unfair privacy policies through its dominant market position.
In July 2024, Meta was fined $220 million by the FCCPC, $37.5 million by the advertising regulator, and $32.8 million by the NDPC, totaling over $290 million.
Image: Julio Lopez
