$200m Fine: CSOs Urge Meta To Show Transparency In Government Interactions

A civil society organisation, Paradigm Initiative, has called on Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp LLC to demonstrate greater transparency in their dealings with the Nigerian government and relevant authorities.

The group emphasised that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and other regulatory bodies must be transparent and justify the proportionality of any proposed punishments or fines.

Last month, the acting executive vice chairman of the FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, announced, “Only last week, the FCCPC issued a final order and imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million (two hundred and twenty million USD) against Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp LLC for discriminatory practices in Nigeria.

“This investigation has been ongoing for the past three years, and I was part of it. We discovered that when you register for the first time to join WhatsApp, there is a section that indicates you have agreed for your data to be shared for research purposes.”

Reacting to this development during a media parley yesterday in Abuja, Paradigm Initiative Program Officer Sani Suleiman recommended that Meta demonstrate transparency in its interactions with the Nigerian government and law enforcement agencies.

According to Sani, “Nigerians should not undermine the regulatory duties of respective agencies but should continue to demand clarity, transparency, and accountability.

“Our priority is to ensure that the rights of Nigerians are the prevailing concern in all platform governance initiatives by both the platforms and the Nigerian government. We unequivocally insist that platforms must be accountable to the Nigerian government and the Nigerian people.”

Sani stressed that effective platform governance requires robust capacity. Regulators must develop the necessary skills and resources to hold platforms accountable, moving beyond focusing solely on fines. Platform accountability should not be reduced to revenue-generating activities. While penalties are legitimate, they must be proportionate and reflect a genuine desire to ensure the right actions are taken.

The group also commended Meta’s decision to appeal the FCCPC’s decision, stating that dialogue is always the better course of action.

Sani also criticised the alleged threat by Meta to exit the Nigerian market, calling it disrespectful to Meta’s Nigerian users.

He urged Meta and other platforms to publish periodic transparency reports detailing their collaborations with the Nigerian government.

“The entire Nigerian platform governance regulatory landscape must be clearly defined, and the roles of respective government agencies must be articulated,” he said.