WhatsApp is considering suspending operations in Nigeria following a hefty $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for a data privacy violation.
Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, may also withdraw some services from Nigeria in response to the fine.
In addition to the financial penalty, the FCCPC has instructed WhatsApp to cease sharing user data with other Facebook companies and third parties without clear user consent.
In response, a WhatsApp spokesperson told TechCabal, “We want to be clear that, technically, based on the order, it would be impossible to provide WhatsApp in Nigeria or globally.”
Meta has not addressed the FCCPC’s allegations regarding user opt-out options from the 2021 privacy policy, but insists that the update does not involve sharing user data.
The Commission is further requiring WhatsApp to provide information on its data collection practices and improve user control over data usage.
