SERAP Urges Zuckerberg, Meta to Pay $220m Fine, Compensate Nigerian Consumers

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Meta Platforms Incorporated (owners of Facebook), Mark Zuckerberg, to immediately comply with the $220 million fine imposed by Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and subsequently upheld by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal.

SERAP, in a letter dated over the weekend and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urged Zuckerberg not only to pay the fine but also to provide justice and effective remedies for Nigerian consumers whose rights were allegedly violated. The group demanded that Meta ensure adequate compensation for victims and provide guarantees that similar breaches of consumer rights, data protection, and privacy laws will not happen again.

The group also called on Meta to pay the $35,000 awarded by the Tribunal to the FCCPC as the cost of the commission’s investigation into the matter.

Last Friday, the Tribunal upheld the $220 million fine initially imposed by the FCCPC, citing grave violations by Meta of Nigerian consumer protection, data privacy laws, and international human rights standards. The ruling marked a significant development in Nigeria’s efforts to hold big tech companies accountable within its jurisdiction.

SERAP further demanded that Zuckerberg immediately halt the unlawful practices identified by the Tribunal, ensure full compliance with Nigerian laws, and guarantee that responsible individuals within the company are held accountable.

“As Chairman and CEO, Mr. Zuckerberg has the responsibility to ensure that Meta fully respects human rights standards, enhances transparency, carries out robust due diligence, and provides effective remedies to victims,” SERAP stated.

The organisation emphasized that Meta must take urgent steps to rebuild trust among Nigerian consumers and demonstrate its commitment to international best practices in data protection and human rights.

The FCCPC’s case against Meta signals a new era of regulatory scrutiny in Nigeria’s digital economy, with rights groups like SERAP leading calls for greater corporate accountability and consumer protection.