By Correspondent in Abuja.
Meta Platforms, Inc., has reached an out-of-court settlement with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) over the $32.8 million fine imposed on the company for alleged breaches of users’ privacy rights in Nigeria.
The fine, announced on February 18, 2025, was accompanied by eight corrective orders against Meta for alleged violations related to behavioral advertising practices on Facebook and Instagram.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, adopted the terms of settlement filed by both parties, commending them for opting for an amicable resolution through alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
During the proceedings, Meta’s counsel, Fred Onuobia, SAN, informed the court that the parties had finalized a settlement agreement dated October 30 and filed on October 31.
“We adopt the terms of settlement and urge my lord to enter them as judgment in this case,” Onuobia said.
Counsel for the NDPC, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, confirmed the agreement and did not oppose the application.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho stated:
“The terms of settlement reached by parties in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/355/2025, dated October 30 and filed October 31, 2025, having been agreed by all parties, are hereby entered as the judgment of this court.”
Earlier in the proceedings, Onuobia had informed the court on October 3 that Meta intended to reconcile with the NDPC, prompting the court to defer ruling on preliminary objections to allow for settlement discussions.
Meta had filed the suit challenging the $32.8 million penalty and the eight corrective orders, arguing that the NDPC’s actions violated due process. The court had granted Meta leave to seek judicial review but declined to stay the NDPC’s enforcement proceedings, instead ordering an accelerated hearing of the case.
The NDPC, through its counsel, Adedipe, had raised a preliminary objection, describing Meta’s suit as “incompetent and academic,” and urging the court to dismiss it for non-compliance with procedural rules.
The NDPC’s sanction was one of its earliest major enforcement actions under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2023, aimed at safeguarding the personal data and privacy rights of Nigerians.
The terms of the settlement between Meta and the NDPC were not disclosed. However, legal observers say the agreement underscores the growing influence of Nigeria’s data protection regime in ensuring compliance by multinational technology firms.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
