KEY POINTS

• WhatsApp is appealing a Nigerian tribunal ruling upholding a $220 million FCCPC fine over alleged discriminatory data practices.

• The tribunal ordered Meta and WhatsApp to restore Nigerian users’ control over personal data and revert to pre-2016 policies.

• WhatsApp warned the ruling could jeopardize its ability to operate in Nigeria and globally due to reliance on Meta’s infrastructure.

WhatsApp has announced plans to urgently seek a stay of execution and appeal a major ruling by Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT), which upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

In a statement released in Lagos on Saturday and made available to newsmen, the messaging platform expressed strong disagreement with the tribunal’s decision, warning that it could significantly impact its ability to continue operations in Nigeria and beyond.

In addition to the hefty fine, Nairametrics reported that the tribunal also ordered WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta Platforms Incorporated, to pay $35,000 to the FCCPC to cover the costs of its investigation into the companies’ handling of user data policies.

Tribunal ruling raises stakes for tech giants in Nigeria

The tribunal’s decision also dismissed the appeal filed by WhatsApp and Meta, reinforcing the FCCPC’s claims that the companies had engaged in discriminatory practices, treating Nigerian users differently from their counterparts in other jurisdictions.

Reacting, WhatsApp said it would “urgently apply to stay the order and appeal today’s decision to avoid any impact to users.” The company argued that the FCCPC’s findings contained “multiple inaccuracies” and “misrepresented how WhatsApp works,” adding that the ruling poses global operational challenges.

“It will be impossible to provide WhatsApp in Nigeria, or globally, without the infrastructure of our parent company, Meta,” WhatsApp emphasized, underscoring the broader implications of the tribunal’s directives.

The backstory traces to an investigation by the FCCPC, which accused WhatsApp and Meta of violating Nigerian users’ data rights by imposing policies not applied equally to users in other countries. Following its findings, the FCCPC levied the fine and issued multiple directives aimed at ensuring Nigerian users could control how their personal data is used.

Among the directives, Meta was ordered to immediately:

• Reinstate Nigerian users’ rights over data sharing choices

• Stop linking WhatsApp data with Facebook or third parties without clear consent

• Publish updated data policies for public access and regulatory review

• Revert to its 2016 data-sharing practices pending compliance reforms

Failure to comply could invite further sanctions, adding to the growing scrutiny of multinational tech giants operating in Nigeria’s fast-evolving digital economy.

The ruling signals an aggressive regulatory approach in Nigeria, a country that is increasingly asserting its authority over data protection and consumer rights amid the global tech boom. If WhatsApp’s appeal fails, the case could set a major precedent, not just for Nigeria but for how tech platforms navigate compliance across emerging markets.

It also highlights Nigeria’s broader effort to align its digital economy with international best practices on privacy, transparency, and corporate accountability, with potential ripple effects across Africa.