Meta challenges Nigerian $32.8M fine for AI-driven behavioral advertising violations
Nigeria's data protection regulator imposed a $32.8 million fine and eight corrective orders against Meta in February 2025 for allegedly violating Nigerian users' privacy rights through behavioural advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Meta is challenging the sanctions in court, arguing the regulator failed to provide adequate notice and opportunity to be heard before issuing the orders.
What happened
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission imposed a remedial fee of $32.8 million and eight corrective orders against Meta on February 18, 2025, alleging violations of fundamental privacy rights of Nigerian users regarding behavioural advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta filed a judicial review suit on February 26, seeking to quash the compliance and enforcement orders, arguing the NDPC failed to provide adequate notice or opportunity to be heard prior to issuing the Final Orders, thereby violating its due process rights under Section 36 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.
Reported impact
Nigerian users of Facebook and Instagram were reportedly subjected to behavioural advertising without adequate privacy protections, affecting their fundamental privacy rights.
Index analysis
The case centres on whether AI-driven behavioural targeting systems on Meta's platforms complied with Nigerian data protection requirements and procedural fairness in regulatory enforcement.
Governance controls
The NDPC issued eight corrective orders alongside the fine to address the alleged violations.
The Federal High Court granted an order for accelerated hearing of the judicial review proceedings, though it refused Meta's request for a stay of NDPC proceedings pending resolution.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.