Nigeria’s leading messaging platform, WhatsApp, may soon suspend its services following a $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) levied the fine, accusing Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, of misusing its market power to enforce exploitative privacy policies.
According to the commission, Meta collected user data without proper consent and shared this information with other Meta-owned companies and third parties.
The fine comes after a three-year investigation into Meta’s practices, which took place between May 2021 and December 2023.
The FCCPC’s decision mandates WhatsApp to stop sharing user data with other Meta companies unless they obtain explicit consent from users.
Moreover, the platform must provide clear information about how it collects and uses data, restoring user control over their privacy.
However, Meta has pushed back against the order.
A spokesperson for WhatsApp expressed deep concerns about the potential impact of the regulatory demands.
“We want to be really clear that technically, based on the order, it would be impossible to provide WhatsApp in Nigeria or globally,” the spokesperson stated.
They argued that the order contains multiple inaccuracies and misrepresents how WhatsApp operates.
According to the company, WhatsApp relies on limited data to function and protect users, and Meta’s infrastructure is essential for maintaining the service.
The spokesperson also revealed that Meta is urgently appealing the order to avoid disruptions for WhatsApp users.
“We are doing everything we can to resolve this issue,” the spokesperson emphasized.
