The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has upheld the $220 million fine levied against Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp LLC by Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), confirming the regulator’s findings of consumer rights violations.

This development was announced on Friday by Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs. The tribunal also awarded an additional $35,000 to the commission to cover investigation costs.

The fine stems from a 38-month joint investigation by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the data privacy practices and consumer policies of Meta and WhatsApp. The probe concluded that the companies engaged in discriminatory and exploitative behavior toward Nigerian consumers.

According to Ijagwu, the tribunal ruled that the FCCPC acted within the legal framework of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended), confirming the commission’s compliance with applicable laws and validating its investigative findings.

“The Tribunal specifically determined that the Commission complied with prevailing laws, discharged its mandate, and exercised its powers within the confines of the 1999 Constitution… [and] did not err in making those findings.”

The original fine was imposed on July 19, 2024, after the FCCPC’s final order highlighted violations by Meta and WhatsApp. The tribunal’s latest ruling effectively dismisses the companies’ appeal and reinforces the FCCPC’s regulatory authority over global tech firms operating in Nigeria.