Meta Fined $290 Million in Nigeria: Facebook's Threat to Exit Sparks Global Debate on Big Tech Regulation

Meta Faces $290 Million Fine in Nigeria amid Rising Global Scrutiny The world’s tech giants are once again under the spotlight, and this time, it’s Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, that finds itself at the center of controversy in Nigeria. The US-based tech behemoth has been slapped with a hefty fine amounting to $290 million by Nigerian regulatory authorities after an extensive investigation into its operations in the country. Meta Faces Heavy Penalties in Nigeria After Lengthy Investigation It all started in 2021 when the Nigerian authorities lunched an investigation into the activities of Meta Company in Nigeria. Thirty months after, the outcome of their investigations has enable them to accuse Meta of engaging in intrusive activities, including the unauthorized sharing of users’ personal information. Regulators concluded that these actions violated Nigeria’s data privacy standards and competition laws, leading to a series of pe...