The Federal Government on Friday justified the $220 million fine slammed on Meta Platforms Inc., operators of Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media services, saying the sanction was necessary to safeguard the data of Nigerians and enforce compliance with national laws.
The National Commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, made this known in Abuja at the Training for DevsInGovernment workshop themed: “Innovating with Privacy: Building Trust in Government Digital Services.”
Olatunji stressed that the investigation into Meta’s activities was not meant to witch-hunt the U.S.-based technology giant but to ensure that it operates within the legal framework guiding data collection, storage, and use in Nigeria.
“We are not necessarily being punitive. However, any institution that fails to cooperate or comply with our laws will be sanctioned,” he declared.
The NDPC boss explained that the probe into Meta was a multi-agency effort carried out alongside the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), which had earlier imposed the fine over data breach concerns.
According to him, the government is determined to sanitise the digital space by protecting citizens’ personal information and ensuring global best practices.
“We are concerned about the ways and manners in which the data of citizens are collected and managed in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. We also consider the economic value for the citizens and the country, and we want global standards entrenched here,” he added.
Olatunji noted that with the increasing digitisation of governance and services, the future of government depends largely on building trust through privacy protection.
“The success of digital governance will depend on one thing above all—trust. Privacy is the foundation of that trust. Deploying trusted digital services is not a task for government alone; it requires collaboration across the public and private sectors, civil society and citizens,” he said.
He maintained that the administration is committed to building a citizen-centric, innovative digital economy that will serve as a model for trust and progress across Africa.
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