Meta has announced plans to appeal the ruling of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT), which upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over alleged violations of Nigeria’s data protection laws.

The fine stems from a 38-month investigation jointly conducted by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) between 2021 and December 2023.

The investigation found evidence of unauthorized data sharing, inadequate user consent mechanisms, and discriminatory practices that allegedly treated Nigerian consumers differently from users in other regions. In July 2024, the FCCPC imposed the $220 million penalty on Meta and its subsidiary, WhatsApp, citing breaches of Nigeria’s data protection and consumer rights laws. The commission also ordered Meta to implement corrective measures to bring its operations into compliance with Nigerian regulations.

On Friday, April 25, the CCPT upheld the fine, affirming both the FCCPC’s authority and the integrity of its investigative process. The tribunal further directed Meta to pay an additional $35,000 to cover costs related to the investigation.

In response, Meta expressed strong disagreement with the tribunal’s decision. In a statement issued on Saturday, April 26, the company confirmed that it would urgently seek to appeal the ruling and apply for a stay of execution.
"We are urgently applying to stay the order and appeal today’s decision to avoid any impact to users," WhatsApp said.

Meta also challenged the tribunal’s findings, arguing that the decision misrepresented WhatsApp’s operations and contained inaccuracies regarding its data practices.