The situation escalated after a federal high court ruling denied Meta's appeal against fines amounting to over $290 million imposed by three Nigerian agencies for various regulatory violations. The largest penalty was levied by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), totaling $220 million for alleged anti-competitive behavior. Additionally, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) imposed fines for privacy breaches, totaling around $32.8 million, while the advertising regulator hit Meta with a further $37.5 million fine for unauthorized promotions.

Meta's court filing suggests that if the fines are enforced, it might have to cease operations in Nigeria as a risk management strategy. The company has not detailed its future plans but has emphasized worries over the NDPC's demands, which they claim misinterpret data privacy laws, particularly regarding prior approvals needed for transferring users' personal data outside Nigeria.

Regulatory requirements also dictate that Meta produce educational content on data privacy risks, a condition the firm labels as impractical. As Nigeria's most popular social media platform, the potential Facebook and Instagram shutdown poses a significant threat to millions of daily users and small businesses reliant on these services for operations and communication.

The high court has set a deadline for Meta to resolve its fine issues by the end of June, leaving local users and businesses in anxiety as they await further developments.