The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, announced that its million dollars fine imposed on WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta Platforms Inc., is a move towards a fairer digital market in Nigeria.
The FCCPC made this known via its X page on Thursday, August 1, whilst addressing the social giant in Nigeria.
According to FCCPC, the messaging app’s claim of leaving Nigerian is a strategy to influence public opinion and pressure the FCCPC to change its decision.
It would be recalled that the commission had earlier imposed the $220 million fine on Meta Platforms for alleged discriminatory practices against Nigerian users and data.
It found that Meta platforms had, at several occasions, violated Nigeria’s consumer protection and data laws over a long time.
WhatApp’s legal team appealed the decision, arguing that the FCCPC did not give them a fair chance to understand and respond to the penalty before it was imposed.
Reacting, FCCPC stated it investigated Meta Platforms and WhatsApp for violating its act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, NDPR.
The commission noted that meta violated multiple of these laws, adding that it imposed the $220 million fine to prevent future violations.
It maintained that its actions are legitimate and similar to those taken by other countries where WhatsApp and Meta Operate.
The statement reads; “WhatsApp’s claim that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to FCCPC’s recent order appears to be a strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.
“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 and the NDPR. These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.
“The final order requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights.
“To deter future violations and ensure accountability for the alleged infringements the FCCPC also imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million.
“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. Similar measures are taken in other jurisdictions without forcing companies to leave the market. The case of Nigeria will not be different.”