WhatsApp might suspend its operations in Nigeria following a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for a data privacy breach.
Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, could potentially withdraw certain services from Nigeria. Besides the hefty fine, the FCCPC has mandated that WhatsApp cease sharing user data with other Facebook companies and third parties without explicit user consent.
The Commission also demands that WhatsApp reveal its data collection practices and improve user control over data usage.
A WhatsApp spokesperson informed TechCabal, “Technically, based on the order, it would be impossible to provide WhatsApp in Nigeria or globally.”
Meta has not addressed the FCCPC’s claims regarding user opt-out options from the 2021 privacy policy but maintains that the update does not involve sharing user data.
