Meta Warns of Facebook and Instagram Shutdown in Nigeria Over huge Fines

U.S. tech conglomerate Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned it may suspend both platforms in Nigeria, citing mounting regulatory challenges and steep fines exceeding.

The announcement, reported by the BBC on May 2, has stirred widespread concern among Nigerian users who rely heavily on the platforms for business, communication, and news.

The standoff stems from a trio of sanctions imposed in 2024 by key Nigerian regulatory bodies: the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC). These agencies accused Meta of breaching various local laws regarding competition, advertising standards, and data privacy.

Specifically, the FCCPC fined Meta $220 million for anti-competitive behavior, ARCON demanded $37.5 million for unauthorized advertisements, and the NDPC levied a $32.8 million penalty for allegedly violating Nigeria’s data protection regulations.

Meta contested the charges in Nigeria’s Federal High Court in Abuja, but the court upheld the penalties and ordered full payment by June 2025. In response, the company warned in legal filings that continued operations in Nigeria might be “untenable,” raising the possibility of withdrawing Facebook and Instagram from the country altogether. Notably, the company did not comment on the status of WhatsApp, which remains a key messaging platform across Nigeria.

A primary sticking point lies with the NDPC’s data protection mandates. The commission now requires Meta to obtain explicit consent before transferring Nigerian users’ data outside the country and to implement visual indicators linking users to privacy education content. Meta has described these rules as “impractical and difficult to implement at scale.”

As the deadline for payment nears, Nigerian users are voicing concern over the looming threat. For many small business owners, influencers, and everyday users, Facebook and Instagram are critical tools for marketing, sales, and social interaction. A shutdown would significantly impact digital livelihoods and public discourse across the country.