Nigeria drops Meta privacy fine after settlement

Nigeria has cancelled a $32.8 million fine previously imposed on Meta Platforms over alleged data protection violations.

The penalty had been issued in 2025 by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission after an investigation into Meta’s handling of data belonging to more than 60 million Nigerian users. Regulators alleged several breaches, including lack of consent for behavioural advertising, unauthorised cross-border data transfers, and practices that could expose users to financial or health-related risks.

A confidential settlement later reversed the decision. Under the agreement, reached in October 2025, Meta was no longer required to pay the fine and only covered legal costs linked to the court proceedings. The settlement was subsequently validated by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The development has drawn criticism from legal and digital rights observers. Concerns focus on transparency, particularly because the settlement terms were not publicly disclosed when the agreement was finalised.

The case had initially been presented as a major enforcement action under Nigeria’s Data Protection Act and as a signal that the country intended to strengthen oversight of large technology companies.

The unanswered issue is why a penalty linked to alleged violations affecting tens of millions of users was ultimately withdrawn without public explanation. Until regulators clarify the rationale behind the settlement, the case is likely to raise questions about how future privacy enforcement actions against major platforms will be handled in Nigeria.