The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Meta Platforms Inc. Chairman and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, to immediately comply with a $220 million fine imposed by Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and upheld by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal.
In an open letter dated April 26, 2025, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the group also urged Meta to provide justice and adequate compensation to victims of what it described as “grave violations” of Nigerian consumer, data protection, and privacy laws, as well as international human rights standards.
SERAP further demanded that Meta pay an additional $35,000 awarded by the Tribunal to the FCCPC to cover the cost of investigation, halt ongoing violations, and take steps to prevent future breaches.
The Tribunal last Friday affirmed the FCCPC’s July 2024 penalty against Meta following a 38-month joint investigation with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which found Meta and WhatsApp engaged in discriminatory and exploitative practices affecting Nigerian users.
SERAP emphasized that the Tribunal’s judgment showed that Meta’s operations in Nigeria have consistently undermined human rights and data privacy, warning that the violations could persist if not immediately addressed.
The group urged Zuckerberg not to pursue an appeal, citing the need to avoid further prolonging the harm suffered by Nigerian victims. It warned that failure to act within seven days could prompt legal action at national, regional, or international levels.
“Your companies must avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts and should adequately redress them when they occur,” SERAP stated, invoking the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
SERAP’s demands include Meta publicly committing to compliance, identifying and compensating victims, enhancing human rights transparency in its Nigerian operations, and centering its business practices on international human rights standards.
