The tech-giant Meta Platforms, Inc. and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have brought to a close a simmering legal battle over alleged privacy abuses, reaching a settlement that the court has formally accepted as its ruling.
Earlier in 2025, the NDPC imposed a $32.8 million fine on Meta, accusing the company of a slew of violations: transferring Nigerians’ data abroad without consent, carrying out behavioural advertising without explicit user approval, failing to submit mandatory audit reports, and allegedly using data belonging even to non-users — including minors.
Meta challenged the sanctions in court and asked for the enforcement orders to be quashed; the battle continued through multiple hearings and procedural wranglings. But instead of a drawn-out verdict, both parties opted for reconciliation. On October 30, 2025, they agreed to settle the matter out of court — and a day later filed the agreement with the Federal High Court in Abuja.
On November 3, 2025, presiding judge Justice James Omotosho formally adopted the terms of the deal as the judgment in the case. In his ruling, he praised both sides for embracing alternative dispute resolution, even though the exact terms of the settlement remain confidential.
With this settlement, Meta avoids further punitive action under Nigeria’s data-protection law, and the standoff has been resolved without a full public adjudication. The move signals a possible shift in how tech regulators and major platforms negotiate compliance — quietly, but with weighty consequences.
