The Nigerian Government says it remains unshaken in seeing that Meta complies with the lawful order issued against it in the country.
It declared that the threat by Mete to exit Nigeria will not exonerate the company from the outcome of a judicial process.
The Federal Government made its stand known through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal had awarded 220 million dollars against Meta Platforms Incorporated and WhatsApp LLC as an administrative penalty for the violations.
Consequently, Meta threatened to shut down its Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria in protest of the large fines imposed by multiple government agencies.
But in a statement by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu on Saturday in Abuja, FCCPC said the Meta Parties should take steps to comply with Nigeria’s law.
Ijagwu said the threat was a calculated move aimed at inducing negative public reaction and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.
According to him, the recent affirmation of FCCPC’s final order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal required Meta Parties to stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, and change their practices to meet Nigerian standards consistent with international best practices.
”The FCCPC investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp (jointly referred to as “Meta Parties”) for allegedly violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, FCCPA, and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, NDPR.
”The Commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA (2018) and the NDPR.
”These infringements include denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation.
”Others are discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies,” he said.
Ijagwu added that Meta had been fined for similar breaches in Texas (1.5 billion dollars ) and only recently was asked to pay 1.3 billion dollars for violating European Union, EU, Data Privacy Rules.
He reiterated that Meta had faced penalties in India, South Korea, France and Australia for similar breaches.
The Commission's director further stated that Meta never resorted to the blackmail of threatening to exit those countries rather, they obeyed.