Nigeria has cancelled a $32.8 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Inc., parent of Facebook and Instagram, after a confidential settlement that has sparked widespread debate over the credibility of the country’s data protection enforcement.
The penalty, issued in February 2025 by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), arose from a September 2023 investigation into Meta’s data practices affecting over 60 million Nigerian users, including lack of explicit consent for behavioural advertising, unauthorised cross-border data transfers, collection from non-users, and risky algorithms exposing users to financial and health threats.
NDPC had hailed the fine as a step to bolster digital rights in Africa’s most populous nation, mirroring hefty penalties against tech giants in the United States, United Kingdom and European Union.
However, a settlement signed on October 30, 2025, and validated by the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 3, 2025, absolved Meta of the $32.8 million liability, requiring only payment of the government’s legal fees from court challenges to NDPC’s orders.
The non-public terms of the agreement, which only recently surfaced through disclosed documents, have ignited concerns about regulatory transparency given the gravity of initial allegations and the vast number of affected users.
Data protection lawyer Iliya-Ezekiel Ndatse criticised the reversal, stating it undermines enforcement deterrence and erodes compliance credibility.
The case echoes Nigeria’s 2021 Twitter ban, resolved through negotiation after rebranding to X, highlighting regulators’ struggles in emerging digital economies to balance tech investments with strict data laws.
While NDPC’s initial move signalled regulatory maturity, the fine waiver has drawn scrutiny to Nigeria’s data governance consistency.
Neither NDPC nor Meta has publicly detailed the settlement rationale, leaving uncertainties over future enforcement against high-profile data breaches as digital platforms grow across the country.
