The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has dismissed Meta’s threat to exit Nigeria as a strategic move to influence public opinion and pressure the commission to reconsider its decision.
The FCCPC had fined Meta $220m for violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, citing concerns about consumer protection and data privacy policies.
In a statement, the FCCPC said Meta’s actions were a “strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.”
The commission emphasized that its actions were based on legitimate concerns about consumer protection and data privacy, and that the order was a positive step towards a fairer digital market in Nigeria.
Meta had claimed that the imposed penalty may affect services rendered by WhatsApp in the country, but the FCCPC maintained that similar measures have been taken in other jurisdictions without forcing companies to leave the market.
The commission’s statement read, “WhatsApp’s claim that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to FCCPC’s recent order appears to be a strategic move… The FCCPC’s actions are based on legitimate concerns about consumer protection and data privacy, and the order is a positive step towards a fairer digital market in Nigeria.”
