The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) and Meta Platforms Inc. are set to adopt the final terms of a $32.8 million data privacy settlement before the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 3.
The move follows months of negotiations after the commission accused Meta of breaching the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
The NDPC had in February 2025 imposed a $32.8 million sanction on Meta, alongside eight corrective orders, for allegedly violating user privacy through behavioural advertising without proper consent and transferring user data abroad without legal approval. The regulator claimed Meta’s practices went against the fundamental principles of transparency and accountability in data processing.
Meta later approached the court, seeking a review of the NDPC’s decision and requesting a stay of enforcement, which the court declined. Despite the legal contest, both parties recently confirmed that a settlement had been reached to resolve the dispute amicably.
During the latest hearing, Meta’s counsel, Fred Onuobia (SAN), informed the court that the parties had successfully negotiated an agreement. However, Justice James Omotosho insisted that he must review the contents of the settlement before adoption, warning that the court must ensure the terms strictly align with the original claims in the case.
Justice Omotosho said, “There have been instances where issues not part of the original suit are smuggled into settlement terms. The court must therefore examine the document carefully before approval.” The judge then fixed November 3 for both sides to formally adopt the settlement.
The upcoming adoption is expected to end one of the most significant data protection cases in Nigeria’s tech space, potentially setting a major precedent for how global technology firms comply with the country’s data protection laws.
